Something to keep in the cupboard

We had this often when I was a kid. I don't have it often, but it is great to keep the cans on hand. When we were first married, I invited some people over for dinner and I had cooked all day, as I was taking it out of the oven my hand touched the inside of the oven and I dropped the dinner all over the floor. I pulled the cans out and we had dinner in thirty minutes.

Dandy Dinner

2 1/2 pound can ravioli

15 oz can chili without beans

6 oz can pitted olives (drained)

1 can vacuum packed mexi-corn

Put in a baking dish, top with grated cheese, and bake at 350 for thirty minutes.

Texas Roadhouse Rolls

Even if you have never made bread much before, this recipe is great! The dough raises quickly, and makes just a dozen roll. You can use the dough for cinnamon rolls or hamburger buns. I love the versatility of this recipe, and they are almost always light as a feather with a nice crusty outside. You can brush them with water for a harder crust, or butter for a nice dinner roll, and if you want it to be fancy, mix 1Tbs honey into melted butter and brush the rolls about 5 min before they finish baking for a shiny buttery glaze. Mix the dough in your bread maker, and then let raise in warm place until double before shaping into desired shape. (Rolls, cinnamon rolls, hamburger buns, etc.)

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 (0.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar 1

1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder

1 1/4 cups warm water (105° - 115°)

1 large egg, slightly beaten

8 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons butter-flavored vegetable shortening

Place 2 cups flour in a large mixing bowl. Add yeast, salt, sugar, and dry milk. Mix well, set aside.

In a small bowl, combine water and egg; stir to blend. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour water mixture into the well. Mix by hand, beating 150 strokes, frequently scraping bottom and sides of bowl. Add 1/2 of the melted butter, and beat to incorporated. Add remaining flour, about 1/3 cup at a time, beating to incorporate each addition. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Set dough in a warm, draft-free place, such as oven with a pan of the hottest tap water on the rack below. Allow batter to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

BREADMAKER INSTRUCTIONS:

In bread maker pan add water, beaten egg, and melted butter. Add flour, salt, and dry milk.  Make a little well in flour, add sugar and yeast in flour well. Mix on dough cycle. Dough will be very soft. You can add 1/2 c more flour for ease of handling. After dough is smooth and well mixed transfer to to med bowl prepared with pan spray. Let rise double. Follow the directions below, or shape as desired letting rise until almost doubled in size. Bake at 350^ if you are making cinnamon rolls.

Coat bottom and sides of 2 (8 inch) round cake pans with shortening. Punch dough down (batter will be extremely soft and sticky). Drop by hand or spoonful into prepared pans, with sides touching. Brush dough with 1/2 remaining melted butter. Let rise, uncovered, in a warm, draft-free place, until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes. Bake in preheated 400° oven, on middle rack for 16-18 minutes. Brush tops of baked rolls with remaining melted butter.

Cinnamon Butter

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

2 ounces granulated sugar

2 ounces brown sugar

4 teaspoons cinnamon

Happy St. Patrick's Day! My favorite meal, and so easy. There are different ways to make corned beef and cabbage, but I like the boiled meal. Put the corned beef and seasoning in the pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and turn down to simmer and cover. Simmer an hour per pound. Add the vegetables an hour before done. I like potatoes cut in half, cabbage in wedges, and carrots. This year I served it with a salad of leaf lettuce, can of beets (drained), and a cut up apple dressed with blue cheese vinegarette. Tomorrow, I can't wait to have a reuben from the leftovers.

This is one of my "new" favorite recipes. If you have had the Gingerbread loaf at Starbucks you will like this one. It's very similar. Its like a banana bread coffee dessert.

Ginger Bread Loaf
 1/2 Cup butter softened
3/4 Cup sugar
1 1/2 Cup Applesauce
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardomen
1 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp fresh ground ginger
2 1/2 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
Beat the softened butter and sugar together; add applesauce, and beat well. Combine the flour, dry spices, and baking soda and slowly beat into the butter mixture. Add fresh ground ginger. If the batter is too thick add a Tbs or more of water. 
Pour into a large loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350^ for 40 to 50 minutes until tooth pick comes out clean.
Frosting:
Melt two squares of white chocolate for about a minute in the microwave. Add 4 oz of softened cream cheese and beat together until smooth. Beat in about 3 cups of powder sugar until the frosting is fluid, but still thick. Ice the gingerbread, and top with cut candied orange peel. 
Candied Orange Peel:
 With orange peeler or knife. Cut the orange rind in a circumference direction from top to bottom about 1/2 inch thick in width. Peel off in 3-4 inch strips. Place in small sauce pan and barely cover with water.  Boil for about 5 minutes.  Rinse off add fresh water, and boil again for about 5 minutes.  Drain off, add 3/4 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup water.  Bring to a slow simmer and simmer until the sugar is almost gone.  The rind should have a transparent glossy look.  Remove from heat. Place on wax or parchment paper to cool.  This makes enough rind for two recipes of the Gingerbread loaf so you can store the extra in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator until you need it.
 

Jay Wallace's Tuna Stew

1 cup rice (I use brown)
2 lg cans tuna
1 cup chopped celery
2 large green peppers chopped
1 small jar red pimento
1 can bean sprouts
1 can water chestnuts
1 tsp poppy seed, celery seed, and salt
2 tsp caraway seed, sesame seed, and soy sauce
Add the following to suit your taste: saffron, green beans, quick cooking barley,green onions, mushrooms, thyme, cumin, marjoram.

Bring 2 qts water to boil in large pan. Add rice. When half done, add the rest of the ingredients. Boil until done. Add water if needed.