Whole Wheat, Oatmeal, and Banana Pancakes

You know when the pancake is so good you don't even need syrup?  Yeah.  Mmm

Whole Wheat, Oatmeal, and Banana Pancakes
1 c. uncooked rolled oats
1 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 T. dry milk powder
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 egg
2 c. milk
2 T vegetable oil
1 t. vanilla
1 banana, mashed

This is how I did it.  Mix all the dry stuff together in a mixing bowl.  Put in the wet stuff.  Mix it all together and let it sit for 5 minutes.  Heat up your griddle like you would normally for pancakes and cook same as usual...cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry.  Flip, and cook until browned on the other side.

Overnight Blueberry (or Strawberry) French Toast

mmm mmm good. The original recipe calls for blueberries, but I use strawberries instead because I'm not a fan of the antioxidant packed blueberry. Oh well.

Ok, so this is Meals 'N Deals. Where does the deal come in? Well, hmmm I had to think about this one because I really wanted to share it, but ya know, I wanted to stick with the Meals 'N Deals idea. This isn't just a recipe blog right? We're more over here at Meals 'N Deals. So, I thought, and truly, this meal cost me about $6 for the whole crew -- which was 6 adults and 2 kids this morning.

Bread -- on sale, but you could even make it (which would be so yummy and hearty in this)
Eggs -- dozen eggs were about $2
Cream cheese -- ok, this was more expensive...$2.56
Strawberries -- on sale in bulk...I'd say it was, oh, maybe about $2.
Other ingredients -- I have on hand
Total: Ok, maybe more like $8. Not super cheap, but for a special occassion, which it is this weekend...feeding so many hungry adults, I thought it was good. My father-in-law liked it so much he kept calling it dessert for breakfast. That was nice to hear.


Makes 8-10 servings

12 slices day old bread
8 oz pkg. cream cheese
1 c. fresh or frozen strawberries
12 eggs
2 c. milk
1 t. vanilla
1/3 c. maple syrup or honey (I use honey)

Sauce:
1 c. white sugar
1 c. water
1 c. strawberries
1 T. butter

Cut bread into 1 inch cubes. Place half into a greased baking dish (9x13). Cut cream cheese into small pieces and place over bread. Top with strawberries (now the recipe says 1c. but I usually take a handful of cleaned and cut up strawberries and sprinkle it over to my heart's content) and remining bread crumbs. Beat eggs in large bowl; add milk, vanilla, and honey (or syrup). Mix well; pour over bread crubes. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Next morning (Good Morning by the way!) remove from the refrigerator 1/2 hour before baking. Preheat oven to 350. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake another 25-30 minutos or until center is set and is golden in color.

Prepare the sauce in a saucepan by combining the sugar and cornstarch. Add water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir constantly and boil for 3-4 minutes. Stir in strawberries and reduce heat; cook for 10 minutes or until strawberries start to fall apart a bit (if you are using blueberries, the blueberries will begin to pop). Stir in the butter and pour over the french toast.

I just doubled the sauce and am saving the left overs. I'm going to make some flapjacks for the girls this week and will use the remainder of the sauce as the syrup. mmmmm

How to Cook Beans

Sort through 1 lb of beans and remove rocks or broken beans. Rinse beans in cold water. Put beans in large pot and add 6-8 cups of water. Boil for two minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let soak for 1 hour. Drain beans. Add 6-8 cups of water and 2 tsp of salt. Cook beans, covered, for about 2 hours or until tender. Add a little more water if necessary. Boil beans gently and stir very little to prevent breaking of skins. After beans are cooled, you can put them in freezer bags and freeze until you need them for soups, chilis, crockpot recipes, etc.

Taco Salad

1 bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos, crushed
1 lb ground beef, cooked, drained and cooled
1 white/sweet onion chopped
1 can sliced olives
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and dried
1 1/2 - 2 heads of iceberg lettuce chopped
1 bottle of Catalina dressing
2-3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
2-3 tomatoes, chopped

Mix everything in a large bowl. Add dressing to taste (I usually use the whole bottle).

Pot Pie

Another one from my mom. She just trows this together so it was hard to get exact amounts. This is comfort food to me. And just to gross you all out, I like to put a little ketchup on top when I eat it (you should see the look Brent gives me).

1 can chicken, turkey or beef chunks
½ onion, diced
3 diced potatoes
4 carrots, diced
1 can of corn or peas (I like both)
Salt to taste

Put all ingredients except peas and corn in a saucepan and add a little water and cook until vegetables are almost tender. Add peas and corn.

Sauce:
¼ c. butter, melted
¼ - ½ c. flour
1 ½ -2 c. milk.

Put all in a blender and when smooth add to vegetable mixture and stir until smooth and thickened. Pour into a casserole dish or 9x13 oblong pan and carefully put crust on top.

Crust:
1 ½ c. flour
½ t salt
½ c. shortening
4-5 T water

Make dough and roll out. Place on top of casserole and prick several areas with a fork. Bake until crust is browned at 375.

Teriyaki Chicken

This recipe comes from my dad who served his mission in Japan. He got it from a local RS President in trade for his banana cream pie recipe. It is a family favorite often served with a Japanese curry over rice and Yakisoba (I have the recipe for this also, but is too complicated to post here, I'd have to show you in person).

2 c. Soy sauce
2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. Aji Mirin (sweet rice wine, found in Asian markets. 1 T. Lemon Juice can be substituted)
1-1/2 t. minced garlic
1 t ground ginger (fresh minced ginger gives a bolder flavor)

Stir until syrupy and sugar is dissolved. Pour over chicken and cook skin side down for 1-1½ hour at 350. Turn skin side up and cook for an additional 15 minutes. This makes enough sauce for a 9x13 pan. You can reserve some of the sauce to serve with rice, otherwise discard it.

White Chicken Chili

This is so yummy and is a great chili for those who do not like kidney beans or other beans (like my husband). A wonderful dinner to make for a family get-together. I serve this with bread or rolls on the side – yummy!

1. Soak 2lbs. of Great White Northern beans over night.
2. Pan Sear (I used my grill pan) 1 lb. of (salt & Peppered chicken tenders or breasts) Set aside, let cool, and then slice into small bite size pieces. To save time you could just add the pieces to the beans and boil them together (but I prefer the grilled flavor of the chicken)
3. In Stock pot, Boil 8 cups of water, and soaked beans for 45 mins.( or until soft)
4. When beans are soft, add 4 tablespoons of chicken base, a 7 oz. can of fire roasted diced green chili peppers,1 tablespoon of Adobo Sauce (a Mexican condiment – this ingredient is optional) ½ teaspoon of cumin, basil, oregano, onion powder, and garlic powder. Add diced chicken. Continue to simmer on low for another 45 minutes.
5. Add 1/2 cup of cream cheese when simmering (I substitute half a package of neufchatel).

Peasant Bread

1-1/2 t yeast
1 T sugar
1/2 t salt
1 c very warm water
2 c flour

In 1 cup Pyrex measuring cup combine yeast, sugar, & salt. Add water. Mix. Combine mixture w/ flour in medium size bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon just until combined then put towel over the top of the bowl and let it rise for 1 hour. Scrape dough out of bowl and put on a greased (I simply spray it with Pam) cookie sheet or pie dish. Let rise 1 more hour. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes. Turn down heat to 350° and bake for 20 more minutes. Brush top with butter as soon as it comes out of the oven and sprinkle salt lightly over the top (I use a course sea salt but any salt will work). This recipe can easily be doubled.

Meatloaf

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 egg whipped
1/4 - 1/2 c. chopped onion
3/4 c. oatmeal (doesn't matter if it is quick oats or not)
3/4 c. evaporated milk (the secret ingredient)
1 t. salt
pepper (opt. I put in 1/4 t.)

Mix all together in a bowl (I squish it all together with my bare hands, it is less messy and works best for me) and put in loaf pan. Add topping and bake at 350 for 1 hour. Makes 1 meatloaf.

Topping
1/4 - 1/3 c. ketchup
1 T. mustard
2-3 T. brown sugar

Mix together in a small bowl and spread over meatloaf before baking.

This is a great meal to take to others because it cooks at the same temperature and for the same amount as baked potatoes and stays warm until it reaches its destination. When I grew up this was always served with baked potatoes and creamed corn. This is the only meatloaf I love. My mom said she got it off the side of a Quaker Oats box in the 1970's.

Yummy Pork Chops

4 servings

4 pork loin chops, 1/2 inch thick (about 1-1/4 lbs)
3 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp ketchup
2 tsp honey

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place pork in ungreased square baking dish, 8x8x2 inches.
3. Mix remaining ingredients; pour over pork.
4. Cover and bake about 45 minutes or until pork is slightly pink in center. Uncover and bake 5 minutes longer.

This is super yummy and we love to have this with some good ole' mashed potatoes and a steamed veggie!

(From Betty Crocker's Good and Easy Cookbook)

Pasta Pomodoro

Pasta Pomodoro
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pasta-Pomodoro/Detail.aspx


Ingredients
2 (8 ounce) packages angel hair pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 (10.75 ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth
crushed red pepper to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2.Pour olive oil in a large deep skillet over high-heat. Saute onions and garlic until lightly browned. Reduce heat to medium-high and add tomatoes, vinegar and chicken broth; simmer for about 8 minutes.
3.Stir in red pepper, black pepper, basil and cooked pasta, tossing thoroughly with sauce. Simmer for about 5 more minutes and serve topped with grated cheese.

Beef Tamale Skillet

We love this one and it is SUPER easy!

1 lb extra-lean ground beef
2 cups chunky-style salsa
1-11 oz can Mexicorn (drained), or 3/4 can of regular corn
6 corn tortillas, cut into 1/2 inch strips
2 Tbsp water
1-1/2 cups nonfat shredded cheddar cheese

Cook ground beef and drain. Add salsa, corn, tortilla strips, and water; toss to mix. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over top, cover, and cook on medium-low heat until cheese is melted.

Sausage Rice Casserole - Parker style

SAUSAGE RICE CASSEROLE
From the kitchen of Bret Parker

1 lb Italian sausage (in the tube)
1/3 c. sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
¾ can water
1 beef bouillon cube
2-3 stalks of celery
Rice

Cook rice separately.

Cook Italian sausage and then add all ingredients until heated through. Mix sausage/sauce mixture with the rice.

Rakott Krumpli

Hey all. Has this blog died? I think so. But, I'm going to give this a try anyway, because last night (not to toot my own horn), I made the best dinner. That's right. And I'm going to share it with you here.

Presenting a Hungarian classic -- what I think of as comfort food for the Hungarians. I read somewhere that you can rarely order this in a restaurant...that it's an at-home classic. Well, I didn't hit too many restaurants when I lived in Hungary, so I wouldn't know. BUT, I do think it's yummy and filing, and relatively inexpensive to make. My recipe is what I learned from a Hungarian, so there's no real written down recipe. You know those kind of recipes. So, no exact science to it, but it's pretty easy anyway.


Hungarian Rakott Krumpli

7-8 Potatoes
10 Eggs
16 - 20 oz. sour cream
Vegeta or other seasonings
Some milk
Cheese
Oil
Kolbasz (sausage. whatever you like. This time I used turkey sausage and pepperoni to add a bit of spice)

Ok...here goes it. Boil the potatoes in their skin. In the meantime, boil your eggs to make them good and hard-boiled. When the potatoes are done, let them cool so you can handle them. Now, you're going to peel the potatoes, but if they are still a bit warm, the skin just peels off by rubbing your fingers along it. Slice the potatoes long way.

When eggs are done, let them cool, and peel them as well. Slice them long ways.

Cut up your sausage to however thickness you'd like.

In a separate bowl, mix your sour cream with some milk to thin it out a bit. I add my seasoning with my sour cream concoction. I use Vegeta because I have it, but any kind of seasonings here will compliment the dish...seasoning salt, parsley, oregano...play around with it.

Now, time to layer. Put a layer of potatoes on the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Next, layer some of the hard-boiled egg. (I like a lot of eggs). Then a layer of sausage. Once I have those basic layers down, I put little dollops of the seasoned sour cream mixture over the top. And who doesn't love cheese? So sprinkle a bit of that on top too...but just a bit because it'll be really rich if you do. You don't even need to add cheese. It's still good and less expensive. Then do the layers again. I usually end up with about 3 layers, but it's a pretty full casserole dish. When I'm all done, I sprinkle a bit of paprika (optional) and some more seasoning and put a tiny bit of oil over top. The oil could probably be omitted, but living in Hungary where many of them eat pure oil (practically!), I guess it's just habit.

I usually put tin foil over top and bake at 350-400 for about 40 minutes. Yummy yummy. Serve with some kind of veggie side dish and some fresh baked bread. mmmm Enjoy your Hungarian experience.

The cost of this meal is relatively inexpensive. The bulk of it is potatoes and eggs...cheaper items. The sausage, depending on what you buy, will definitely add more to the cost ~ but it's a pretty dense and filling meal. We had it for dinner last night and have 1/2 the casserole dish left. Definitely a 2 meal dinner.

Jo etvagyat! (or if you prefer...Bon Appetit!)