Sunday, June 30, 2013

Menus and a Comment

I know it looks bad for Paula and I make no defense nor do I wish to add to the criticisms already out there in spades.  But Paula Dean showed me how to make nice drop biscuits!
You just use an ice cream scoop!

Now for the menus.  I know how hard it is to keep thinking of lovely meals 24/7.  So here are my successes this week starting yesterday and going back.  Several weeks ago at the Cloverleaf Cafe, one of our favorite eateries, which has had to move out Second street by the Big Red (past 37) we  had an item listed I think as a snack, Chili cheese sauce on baked potato.  It was yummy! So after a few weeks of thinking how I wanted to make it, and had a chance to go to the store for our monthly groceries, last night I tackled it.  I browned half a pound of 90% lean ground beef in a skillet and when it was done but not overcooked, I added a cupful of water and about 3 ounces of Velveeta in slices and turned it down low.  In a few minutes it stirred into a thin sauce.  I added one of those packets of hot sauce from some Mexican restaurant (theirs always seems to have a better flavor than my purchased hot sauce) and half a cup of salsa.  It was still a bit thin so I added 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch mixed into 1/4 cup of cold water and stirred until it was just starting to bubble.  Then I got out the baked potatoes, micro-waved this time but I really prefer oven-baked, smacked them open and poured the sauce over them.  This was served with a chef's salad with sliced cold chicken, hard-boiled egg and grated Cheddar cheese.  We had Breyer's low carb vanilla ice cream for dessert.  This morning I dabbled a little of the sauce over the scramble eggs next to our waffles and it was again a big success.  No doubt we'll have it at least once a month henceforth!
Several weeks ago I bought a little pamphlet full of Pet Recipes at an Antique store in Mitchell.  In it was a recipe for Meatloaf which had in it:  2 pounds ground beef, 1 can Pet milk, 1 packet onion soup mix.  Period.  I didn't have any soup mix but I substituted 2 teaspoons of beef boullion and 2 teaspoons of dehydrated onion.  No additional salt.  Baked at 350 for 1 and 1/2 hours.  No carbs.  and delicious.With it we had Potatoes and onions Au Gratin ( I was reading Julia Child) and home-canned green beans cooked with onions and a little chopped bacon.  The meatloaf is a recipe we will have often.  The left-overs are good too, either heated or made into sandwiches.
I saw an ad for Arby's, I think it was, showing a chicken salad sandwich, with grapes and pecans.  That sounded good to me, although my Hubby doesn't like anything with mayo in it.  But when I had a friend for lunch I deemed it a good time to make it.  The night before I poached three chicken breasts in water flavored with celery leaves and dehydrated onion and smoked sea salt for about 40 minutes.  It cooled during supper and in the morning I skinned and boned the chicken.  One breast I saved back for the Chef's salad later and the other two I chopped up with the red seedless grapes, celery chopped fine, pecans, one tiny green onion and some mayo and sour cream.  Just a little pepper too.  With this I served two tiny 4 ounce custard cups of the left-over Potatoes Au Gratin and some sliced tomatoes, the first I've been able to buy at my favorite farm stand in Ellettsville.  I put out Low carb bread, Kroger brand, which I've found to be quite good.
The chicken broth I simmered until it was reduced to a nice chickeny flavor, added some of the chopped chicken and the next day made it into an Oriental soup with lemon, ginger, soy sauce, a little rice and some edible pod peas.  With that we had ham and cheese sandwiches with lettuce and tomato, and applesauce for dessert.
As usual, on Wednesday we had hamburgers, this time with Swiss cheese and lightly toasted mushrooms, always a favorite.  With them I made tiny straw potatoes cooked in about an inch of canola oil in a small stew pot. and a green salad.
Tonight, for our special Sunday night supper in front of the TV we'll have French bread Pizza.  Easy peezy.  I think I've mentioned this before.  And some salad.  And vanilla ice cream with dark chocolate syrup that I make with little sugar.  Yumola!  A week of favorites!  Best wishes with your meals this week.

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