Reflections on 2010

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” ~ William Arthur Ward

We had an amazing Christmas and it is always fun to get family together to laugh, share, and spend quality time together reflecting over the year behind us. 

As 2010 comes to a close and another holiday season was ending, we took time to be thankful for a roof over our head, good health, close family ties, careers we enjoy, and so many other things we couldn't possibly list here! 

Grandma lived a life of gratitude and her example was one of the best lessons for all of us. She used to say that when life seemed difficult, being grateful for our many blessings made any difficulties we encountered seem insignificant. I can attest to the fact that this is absolutely true and something I live by each day.

We have many great things planned on Grandma Cooks 365 for 2011 and hope you enjoy preparing and serving all the recipes we're sharing with you. We sincerely hope the items and ideas we post each day will help brighten your day and make your life a little easier!

We wish you all a Happy New Year filled with warm family memories, good food, close friends, and abundant blessings! See you next year!

Prime Rib Potage

We had a little leftover prime rib from Christmas--mainly bones with meat on them and a few small pieces that we didn't want to go to waste (but a little too extravagant for the dog!). It took a little searching, but in one of Grandma's nondescript cookbooks was this terrific recipe for Prime Rib Potage or stew. We changed it up a little for our taste and it was outstanding.

The flavor reminded me of a stew served in a local restaurant that Grandma adored years ago. The theme was Tudor England with big fireplaces, drinks served in heavy silver chalices, the wait staff in period dress (yes, the guys had to wear puffy sleeved shirts--a la Seinfeld), and the furnishings were embellished with heavy wood and metal detailing. Can you see it? You could imagine Henry the VIII running through chasing after Anne Boleyn (before the guillotine).

......Okay, I got a little carried away there. I admit I was enamored with that period just like Grandma was, but pay no mind. You will love making and serving this stew if you have some bits and pieces of prime rib left over from a holiday feast.

It has to be started the night before to give it sufficient time to cool so the fat can be skimmed off easily.

I can guarantee you will love making this--did I say that already? Just be sure not to miss the wonderful aroma it creates in your kitchen. If the Internet had "smell-a-vision" I would have a sniffable download available right now! In the meantime, you'll have to get that yourself in your own kitchen. Enjoy!

Prime Rib Potage

2 Tbsp butter

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

¾ cup Cabernet Sauvignon (anything you love to drink)

1 can beef broth (plus additional can if you want more liquid)

1/2 cup water

3-4 prime rib bones

½ - 1 cup prime rib meat, cubed

1 rib celery, thinly sliced

2 carrots, sliced in ½ inch rounds

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced in ½ inch cubes
2 tsps dried basil
2 tsps dried thyme
1 tsp Herbes de Provence
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup uncooked noodles (optional)
Salt and pepper

Melt butter in Dutch oven. When heated, saute onion for 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add wine and scrape any bits on bottom of pot. Pour in can of beef broth and water, reduce heat to low and bring liquid to a simmer. Add prime rib bones/meat and simmer on low for 1½ hours. Remove from heat, cool, and refrigerate overnight. 

Scrape or spoon fat from surface and discard. Add celery, carrots, and potatoes and simmer until tender. Remove the bones and let them cool to remove any meat on them. Add the meat from the bones to the soup along with the basil, thyme, Herbes de Provence and mixed vegetables and optional noodles. If the consistency is too thick, add more beef broth. Continue simmering until noodles are done. Salt and pepper to taste and serve with French bread and salad.

Baked Chicken Ritz

Grandma was never afraid to try something different! Who said you had to use breadcrumbs to coat chicken? Why not crackers like Ritz or Club or Chicken in a Biskit? Whatever kind of cracker you enjoy as a snack could work as a breading for chicken...and the butterier (is that a word?) the better!

This was a recipe Grandma found in a church cook book that she modified to make it more amazing than it already was.


The original recipe called for washing/patting dry the chicken, seasoning it, dipping it in vegetable oil, then covering it with the cracker crumbs. Grandma changed the oil to melted butter, the cracker crumbs to Ritz, and it was transformed from blandness to buttery divine-ness. The change gave it an almost Southern-fried-chicken flavor--with half the work!

Also, she didn't use boneless chicken breasts. She used split fryers with the skin on, which she thought came out more moist and tender at the high cooking temperature.

Give this one a try. Your family will think you slaved for hours on it! (That will be our little secret.) 


Baked Chicken Ritz 

1 split fryer (breasts, wings, legs, thighs)
1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed 

Preheat oven to 400F. 

Wash and pat dry the split fryer pieces.  Place pieces in melted butter for about 10 minutes, then remove and place on cookie sheet. Salt and pepper each piece your liking then dredge in Ritz crumbs until thoroughly coated. Return to cookie sheet and pour any leftover butter on chicken. Bake at 400F for 45 minutes.

Pronto Beef Stew

If you're looking for a flavorful (and fast) full meal deal for your family look no further than Grandma's Pronto Beef Stew. It's a hearty show stopper that your family will love. 

Word has it that heating it up for lunch the next day is even better (although I wouldn't know, because ALL the leftovers were gone and I was unable to check this out for myself)! But I'll take my better half's word for it. He is always game for something delicious for a lunch-time refueling the following day and this stew is just the ticket.

The recipe method calls for processing the diced tomatoes, but if you like your tomatoes a little chunkier, then by all means eliminate this step. It's all personal preference and this stew is so versatile, you can add or subtract darn near anything as your taste desires!

Pronto Beef Stew

1½  to 2 pounds beef stew meat

¼ cup flour

1 tsp Johnny's seasoning

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

1 medium onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cans beef broth

1 (14.5 oz) can chickpeas, drained

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (Italian style, if available), processed about 10 pulses in food processor

1 tsp salt

½ tsp oregano

½ tsp basil

½ tsp pepper

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables

1 cup unooked ditalini pasta

Shredded parmesan/romano mix cheese

1. Heat olive oil in Dutch oven or large skillet. Meanwhile put flour and seasoning in container or large plastic bag and dredge stew meat, covering completely. Sear meat in oil until browned on all sides then remove from pan with slotted spoon and set aside. Reduce heat to medium.

2. Melt butter in pan and saute onion and garlic for about 2 minutes. Add beef broth and scrape up any brown bits on bottom of pan. Add in chickpeas, tomatoes, salt, oregano, basil, and pepper. Bring to a boil and return meat to broth mixture. Cover and cook for two hours. 

3. After two hours, stir in mixed vegetables and pasta. Cover and cook one additional hour until beef and pasta are tender.  Stir before serving, sprinkle shredded cheese on top and serve with bread and a tossed green salad.

NOTE: This can be modified for a crockpot. Follow #1 and #2 above; then place everything in crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Then follow #3.

Mustard Crusted Chicken

Chicken breasts have been available in supermarkets ever since I can remember. They used to be quite expensive so Grandma didn't cook them often. There certainly wasn't any margin for error. If a recipe wasn't good, you just blew a couple days of your weekly food budget on a dud. This one, however, is a tried and true winner and one that can be used with bone-in or boneless breasts. Sky's the limit on what side dishes to serve with it too. Rice pilaf, potatoes, or just a steamed fresh vegetable--really, whatever you like will go with this moist and delicious entree.

Mustard Crusted Chicken

4 boneless or bone-in chicken breasts

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

2 Tbsp butter, melted

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

1 Tbsp dried thyme

½ can (14.5 oz) chicken broth

¼ cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 375F. 

Heat oil in Dutch oven or large skillet. Meanwhile, wash chicken and pat dry. Sprinkle salt and pepper generously, then place chicken in hot oil and sear for about 5 minutes until crisp and golden. 

While chicken is cooking, combine  melted butter with mustard.  

 When chicken is done searing, remove from Dutch oven or skillet and place on cookie sheet, and smear one-half of the mustard mixture on chicken. 

In separate bowl combine breadcrumbs and thyme and sprinkle on chicken. 

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until chicken is thoroughly cooked. 

While chicken is cooking, pour chicken broth and heavy cream into Dutch Oven or skillet you used to cook the chicken in, scrape up brown bits and bring to a boil stirring continually until thickened for about 3-4 minutes then add in other half of mustard mix. (If not thickened enough, add in a little flour and whisk until desired consistency is reached.)

When chicken is done baking, remove to a serving platter and pour gravy mixture on top.

Warm Christmas Wishes

Bountiful Christmas blessings to all of you!  May you have a joyous celebration of Jesus' birth with your loved ones! We'll be back next week with more of Grandma's best recipes for you to enjoy.

Recipe for Christmas All Year Long

Take a heap of child-like wonder

That opens up our eyes

To the unexpected gifts in life— 

Each day a sweet surprise.

  

Mix in fond appreciation

For the people whom we know;

Like festive Christmas candles, 

Each one has a special glow. 

Add some giggles and some laughter,

A dash of Christmas food,

(Amazing how a piece of pie 

Improves our attitude!) 

Stir it all with human kindness;

Wrap it up in love and peace,

Decorate with optimism, and 

Our joy will never cease. 

If we use this healthy recipe,

We know we will remember

To be in the Christmas spirit, 

Even when it's not December. 

By Joanna Fuchs 

www.poemsource.com

Many thanks to Joanna at poemsource.com for use of her beautiful poem!

Christmas Memories

Grandpa, Grandma & me, c. 1968

Grandma was so good at making Christmases great. They were never perfect, just memorable, warm and full of eager anticipation. Where she got all the energy, I have no idea, but as I sit here anticipating my own meltdown, I remember how Grandma would pull off every holiday without even a hint of anxiety. Whether or not she felt that inside, I don't know, but I do know that her secret was not worrying about tiny details. 

Being home with family, unwrapping a few thoughtful gifts, and preparing a wonderful a meal was what she enjoyed and it rubbed off on the rest of us. If she had ten loads of laundry waiting, a room or two that might not have been meticulously cleaned, and if her hair wasn't perfectly coiffed, it never appeared to bother her. 

We all know how quickly anxiety can rob us of our joy, so it's important to forget perfection and celebrate the blessings we have and what Christmas is all about. 

Thank you Grandma, for so many memories: 

- That aluminum tree with the squeaky color wheel making it come alive

- The Candlelight Christmas Eve service (and one gift to open afterwards)

- For Santa bringing something wonderful (and you never taking any credit for it)

- A delicious Christmas dinner

- Bayberry in the air

- Candlelight

Potato Gratin Francais

A Christmas menu that boasts a beautiful prime rib should never feature side dishes that would steal the show! A side dish of heavy potatoes or other vegetable just wouldn't do. Something had to be different and this Potato Gratin dish was just the ticket. Light, not overpowering, but a delicious accompaniment to the rib roast. (It is also a wonderful breakfast side dish!)

Potato Gratin Francais

4 cups frozen hash browns
1 cup Swiss cheese, grated

Sauce:

1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp Johnny’s seasoning
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp parsley
4 eggs
1 cup cream
3 Tbsp melted butter

½ lb cooked bacon, crumbled
½ cup thawed frozen spinach

 

Grease oblong baking dish and place hash browns on bottom of pan.  Combine sauce ingredients then pour onto potato mixture.  Sprinkle layer of 1 cup grated Swiss cheese over this.  Top with spinach and crumbled bacon and bake at 350F for 35 minutes.

Christmas Prime Rib

Christmas was Grandma's favorite time to really shine in the kitchen. She typically planned the menu weeks in advance and executed the plan flawlessly and on budget. As she grew older, the only real assistance she required was to lift the heavy pan from the oven. She took care of all the rest with her loving hands.

She didn't have prime rib every Christmas but we were filled with glee when she did because it always tasted better than what we could ever get at a local restaurant. I think it was because she made it with so much more love and care! 

Here are her technical "secrets." (Add your own love and care for your family!)

Grandma would always be up early when she was cooking for us on holidays and the first thing she did was take out whatever meat she was cooking and let it sit on the counter to "warm up." She knew it helped make it tender and flavorful. Matter of fact, she used to do this with almost every meat she cooked...get it warmed up on the counter. That was her first "secret."

The second "secret" was sealing in the juices by searing. But how do you sear a prime rib, you ask? Because a prime rib is usually quite large, it's impossible to sear it in the traditional way, so Grandma would rely on a very hot oven for about a half hour or forty-five minutes to form that wonderful crust on the outside of the roast and seal in the juices. (She told us that you could do this with smaller roasts too. Even an inexpensive cut of beef could be made into a mock prime rib, but it's quite expensive to heat up the home oven to that temperature for a small roast, so stovetop searing was totally adequate and the preferred economic choice.)

We will be using her Prime Rib recipe this year, bringing back so many of those special Christmas memories. Grandma will be supervising...in spirit, I'm pretty sure of it!

Christmas Prime Rib

1 10# standing rib roast

2 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp salt (we use Kosher crystals)

2 tsps ground pepper

Take the roast out of the refrigerator (and out of its wrapping) 2-3 hours before you plan to cook it to bring it to room temperature. 

When close to cooking time, adjust your oven rack to accommodate your larger roasting pan, and preheat to 450F. Place the roast in the pan, rub with garlic all over, then spread a thick coating of salt and pepper on the outside.  Roast for about 30-45 minutes leaving the door closed the entire time. 

After initial cooking time, lower the temperature to 325F keeping the door closed. Continue roasting in this slow oven for 1-2 hours until internal temperature reaches 120F or to your desired level of doneness. (115F for rare; 120-125F for medium). Continue cooking until desired temperature is reached.

When done, place uncovered on a cutting board to let the meat "rest" before serving (about 15 minutes). Slice 1/4-1/2 inch pieces and serve.

Hot Buttered Rum Mix

There is nothing that fills you with warmth on a cold winter day than this creamy rich Hot Buttered Rum recipe. Grandma wasn't much for anything alcoholic, but in moderation (which meant only one drink with one tablespoon of rum) she enjoyed this comforting drink at Christmastime. The beauty of this recipe is you can make a batch and freeze it so you have it on hand all winter long or you can spoon it into jars and give some away! Make sure you attach the recipe and prep instructions to the jar with a beautiful ribbon.

Hot Buttered Rum Mix

1 cup butter, softened

½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

½ cup sifted powdered sugar

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

1 pint vanilla ice cream

Cream together butter, brown sugar, powdered sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon with electric mixer.  Blend in softened ice cream. Turn into 4-cup freezer container. Seal and freeze (mixture will not freeze solid.)

To serve spoon 2 to 4 Tbsp ice cream mixture into each mug. Add 3 Tbsp rum and ½ cup boiling water.  Stir well. Garnish with a cinnamon stick, if desired. Makes 12 to 24 servings.

Hamburger Potato Casserole

Planning a menu for the week isn't easy. Writing down "leftovers" for Saturday or Sunday is easy...until Saturday or Sunday arrives. Then the work starts trying to figure out just how to use those leftovers. 

And what happens if you don't have any leftovers? We had a couple popular Grandma mainstays that were totally consumed this week, so there weren't a lot of leftovers to pick from except some hamburger and a big container of mashed potatoes. So I went through Grandma's clipped recipes and found this little gem for Hamburger Potato Casserole that used a few staples and fit perfectly into our leftover shortage.  

One suggestion for this recipe...make sure you use a good lean ground beef.

Hamburger Potato Casserole

½ to 1 lb very lean ground chuck

½ cup bread crumbs

½ cup milk

1 small onion, diced

½ cup celery, dice

1 large egg, slightly whipped

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

2-½ cups prepared mashed potatoes

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup salsa or heated marinara sauce

Soak bread crumbs in the milk for about 5 minutes. Mix ground beef, salt, pepper, onion, celery, egg, and bread crumb and milk mixture. Put in casserole dish and bake at 350F for 35 minutes. When done, take out of oven and top with mashed potatoes and shredded cheese. Return to oven and cook for additional 10-15 minutes until potatoes are heated through and cheese is melted. Serves 4.

NOTE: When serving, I placed each helping on top of a spoonful of salsa and it was delicious! Perhaps a dollop or two of heated marinara would be good too! Sky is the limit!

Sausage Potato Supper

This is one of those "stovetop alchemy" concoctions that probably would not make the cover of Gourmet magazine, but the results are--as I recall being exclaimed by my picky eater--"amazing!" Now from a picky eater, that is the holy grail. 

Who says every single recipe result has to be beautiful in presentation? This isn't the Ritz! Ours is just a humble kitchen on a budget trying to make a few hearty dishes the family will love and many of them will even have a Grandma story behind them.

This is one of those recipes containing sausage that Grandma made and Grandpa actually enjoyed. As you will recall, he never liked sausage of any kind--that means hot dogs too. The only variety he ate was the breakfast kind and that was rare. But in this dish the blending of sweet, tart, salty and a little spicy just couldn't be refused. Plus there's something about meat and potatoes that resonated with Grandpa. He was, after all, a meat-n-potatoes Midwest guy!

A couple of suggestions: You can lower the calorie count by using chicken kielbasa (of course you can still use pork or beef too if you prefer the flavor). We also used Trader Joe's Dijon Mustard instead of the dry mustard called for in this recipe and brown sugar instead of the granulated for a richer flavor. These added so much depth that we thought it was worth adjusting the recipe a bit. Whatever modifications you make will probably enhance this recipe. As Grandma always said--"Cooking isn't that hard. Don't be afraid to be creative!"

Sausage Potato Supper

1 pound fully cooked sausage, thinly sliced (we used chicken Kielbasa)
1 Granny Smith apple (peeled), cored and diced in 1/2 inch chunks
1-½  pounds (about 8) boiling potatoes (unpeeled), sliced in 1/4 in thick slices
About 6 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 large onion,diced coarsely
½ cup celery, chopped
½ cup dill pickle
¾ dill pickle liquid
2 tsp sugar (we used brown)
½ tsp dry mustard (we used Trader Joe's Dijon)
salt and pepper
chopped parsley for garnish

In a large skillet, heat sausage and apple together until the sausage is browned, then remove from heat and set aside. In the same pan, melt 3 tablespoons butter and add potato slices a few at a time making sure each slice gets coated with butter, and turn frequently, adding more butter as needed to coat all the potatoes thoroughly.  Add onion and cook, turning often until onion and potatoes are golden. Gently stir in celery, dill pickle and browned sausage mixture.

Combine pickle liquid, sugar, and mustard and pour over potato mixture. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 30 minutes until potatoes are fork tender. Turn often. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley, if desired. 4 servings.

Cheesy Potato Casserole

This is a no-frills potato dish that is a delicious side to serve along with almost anything. It's sort of an alternative to Macaroni Au Gratin (the fancy pants name for Mac & Cheese) and it is--well, you know...delicious AND easy! 

If you have a mashed potato technique that you prefer, then by all means use it with this dish. Some folks add in sour cream or even whipped cream--there are no set rules with this. Matter of fact, Grandma had a note in the margin of this recipe that said, "put slices of smoked sausage on bottom of casserole dish and top with potatoes."  Now I haven't tried that and I don't remember her ever preparing it that way, but it really sounds good and would convert this side dish to a main course! Grandpa didn't care for Kielbasa, Polish Sausage, or hot dogs, so that's probably why I don't remember that variation. However, for you recipe pioneers out there, it's worth a try!

Cheesy Potato Casserole

8-10 russet potatoes, peeled and halved

1/2 stick of butter

1/2 cup whole milk (or half & half)

1 tsp granulated garlic

salt and pepper

1 cup shredded cheese (we used Colby)

Boil the potatoes until done (if easily poked with fork, they're done). Drain water and add butter. Using potato masher, mash until butter is melted and combined. Add in milk and continue mashing until smooth. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Put in buttered casserole dish and top with shredded cheese.  Bake in 350F oven for 1/2 hour or until lightly browned and cheese is melted.