When I was a girl and at school, I could hardly wait to be old enough to be able to take Home Economics. You had to be in Grade 8 to take it, in other words, 14 years of age.
It was divided into three sections or units of tutelage. One was sewing, where we learnt how to use a sewing machine and sew simple garments such as an apron on up to more complicated projects.
The second was Homemaking, which taught us how to keep a home clean, simple mending and hand sewing, knitting, budget planning, etc. the home arts.
The third was Cookery, where we learnt basic cooking skills that you could then apply to making more complicated dishes, food economy, etc.
No surprise I loved all three sections. From the time I was a young girl, I really wanted to be a homemaker, wife and mother.
I saw great value in each of those roles, and thankfully I was blessed to have been able to do just that for most of my children's growing up years.
Although I had always had a really keen interest in food and cooking, I had very little experience. My mother was not a woman who enjoyed little fingers helping her in the kitchen. If we were in the kitchen we had to stay out of the way and were relegated to being spectators only.
So, I had no hands on experience at all. Being able to actually get into a kitchen and create lovely things to eat was really special to me, and I loved every second spent in my high school home economics kitchen!
One of the first things I remember us making was this Five Cup Ambrosia Salad. It was simple to make and employed only the skills of draining well, measuring and stirring together.
It was super delicious! Not too sweet, surprisingly . . . and filled with lots of fruit. You would think that the marshmallows would make it overly sweet, but they do not.
They kind of melt into the sour cream, and everything comes out tasting quite marvelous.
So called Five Cup Salad, because it measures exactly five cups. Five different ingredients, stirred together to make something tasty!
You could cut down on the amounts of the fruit and use only half of each, adding equal amounts of banana and grapes, which is also quite popular.
I have also seen it with apple and maraschino cherries.
This is the way I like it best of all with just pineapple, oranges, marshmallows, coconut and the sour cream. Simple.
Although the name references Ambrosia . . . nectar of the Greek Gods . . . it has nothing at all to do with Greeks. It is very North American in origin.
I suppose there are some who would poo poo me using a recipe like this in my English kitchen, but I am a North American in an English kitchen, so its only natural that sometimes the lines between the two blur.
My kitchen . . . my rules. Actually I am finding that food has really changed in the UK since I first arrived on these shores almost 18 years ago now.
More North American ingredients are available than back then, and with the Internet and all it holds so readily available now, people are cooking pretty much anything that strikes their fancy.
I do love the old traditional dishes, but I love things like this also.
*Five Cup Ambrosia Salad*
Serves 10
This
is such an old recipe, but so delicious. We tend to eat it as a dessert
rather than a salad, but to many it goes right along with any main
course. However you eat it, you are sure to enjoy. You can easily
adapt it to your own tastes by using other fruits that are in season.
(Apple wedges, bananas, grapes are all good) The main criteria is that
all of the ingredients add up to 5 cups.
225g drained crushed pineapple (1 cup)
75g shredded sweetened coconut (1 cup)
375g tin of mandarin oranges, well drained (1 cup)
50g miniature marshmallows (1 cup)
120g sour cream (1 cup)
It is imperative that you do leave this overnight. The marshmallows kind of melt into the sour cream and everything just tastes pretty wonderful! A summer treat! Bon Appetit!
We quite like sliders in this house. Sliders are small sandwiches or burgers baked all together in one sheet in the oven, and then cut apart into single servings after baking. I have done a few versions of them on here in the past, including Heavenly Ham and Cheese Hots, Reuben Sliders, Salmon Melt Sliders (You could also use Tuna), and Turkey Fajita Sliders to name a few. Love them all. They make quick and simple suppers when served with some chips or salad on the side, and are also perfect for game nights, etc. with the family. (Think FHE here!)
Today I made BBQ Beef Sliders with Caramelised Onions. You can use deli sliced beef in them, or you can use leftover sliced roast beef. Either one would work well. Todd has an easier time eating meat which is thinner sliced, so for things like this I tend to use deli meat as it is sliced much thinner than I can do myself at home.
I buy my buns at Asda. You can get a bag with 24, unseparated, called a freezer pack for about £2, and they work perfectly. They are also in a nice study bag so you can freeze the ones you don't need to use right away.
You begin by caramelising some onions. What is is about the smell of caramelising onions that gets the taste buds to tingling? There used to be a guy with a sandwich/burger van in downtown Chester by the town hall that was always frying onions. I always felt super hungry when I would walk past his van. It didn't matter if I was really hungry or not, just the smell made me hungry.
You layer the caramelised onions on the bottom half of the buns and then top with a bit of BBQ sauce. Today I used Bullseye because that is what I had, but you can use whatever kind you like. On top of that you layer on the meat.
I then put a layer of cheese. I buy a four cheese blend at the shops and just sprinkle it all over the meat in a nice layer. It has orange and white cheddar, mozzarella, Gouda . . . a nice mix that makes for good melting.
The cut side of the top bun gets spread with a horseradish mayo, which as you know goes very well with beef. Aside from the flavour it also helps to hold the cheese in place before it start to melt.
Finally you simply brush the top with a mix of melted butter, Worcestershire sauce and herbs. This gilds the lily, and adds another layer of delightful flavours!
And they truly are delightful flavours . . . you get the sweetness from the caramelised onions, a smoky touch from the BBQ, the richness of the roast beef, that creamy melty ooze from the cheese, a touch of creamy heat from the horseradish mayo, and of course that buttery, herbed crispy bun at the top. Everything just works together heavenly. I served them with some vegetable chips, which had carrots, parsnip and beetroot, but they would be nice just with coleslaw or even a green salad or potato chips. Its all up to you!
*BBQ Beef Sliders with Caramelised Onions*
Makes 12
These are simple to make and oh so delicious. A real family and crowd pleaser.
1 TBS flavourless oil
2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
130g BBQ sauce (1/2 cup)
73g mayonnaise (1/3 cup)
1 TBS creamed horseradish sauce
1 package of soft dinner rolls (12 count)
12 slices deli roast beef
120g grated 4 cheese blend (1 cup)
2 TBS butter, melted
1/2 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp each garlic and onion powders
1 tsp dried parsley
To caramelise the onions, heat the oil in a large skillet over
medium/high heat. Add the onions, reduce to medium low and cook,
stirring frequently until golden.
Preheat oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Have ready a 13 by 9 inch baking dish with sides. Lightly butter. Set aside.
Whisk together the mayonnaise and horseradish sauce.
Slice
the buns in half through the middle, keeping both halves in one sheet.
Place the bun bottom sheet into the prepared baking dish. Cover with
the caramelised onions. Divide the BBQ sauce amongst each bun section,
smoothing it over with the bottom of a spoon. Top with the sliced roast
beef and sprinkle the cheese over top of the beef. Spread the
mayo/horseradish sauce on the inside of the top bun halves and place
over all, sauce side down. Whisk together the butter, Worcestershire
sauce, garlic and onion powders and dried parsley. Brush over the tops
of the buns. Cover loosely with aluminium foil.
I admit I am a person with quite a few weaknesses when it comes to food . . . pasta, mac & cheese, creamed corn, tinned tomatoes, cheese, chocolate ANYTHING, oatmeal cookies, salad, hot dogs, . . . just to name a few. Occasionally there is a dish that will incorporate several of these weaknesses and that is what I am showing you today. It will soon be far too hot to eat anything like this, and the day that I baked this, was cold and rainy, so I do hope that you will forgive me for showing it to you now, but do bookmark and take note of it for another time.
It combines two of my great loves . . . mac & cheese and creamed corn. I love creamed corn so much that I could just sit and eat it with a spoon. Yes, I am that crazy in love with it!
You make a simple, yet rich creamy sauce, which uses a mix of cream, semi-skimmed milk, and some savoury seasonings . . . dried mustard, onion powder, salt and pepper . . . and then you whisk in two kinds of cheese, strong cheddar and Parmesan . . .
Once the cheese melts you simply stir in a can of creamed corn and a can of sweet corn niblets, along with some cooked macaroni . . . or macanoni as my youngest son used to call it!
Pour it into a baking dish, sprinkle with a bit more cheese and some buttered cracker crumbs and bake. Half an hour does it.
This is so delicious and makes both a fabulous main course or a side dish for Pot Lucks, BB Q's and Covered Dish Suppers and get-togethers!
I guarantee everyone will be asking for the recipe! I will most certainly guarantee you will be bringing home an empty dish!
The recipe is also very easily cut in half (which is what I usually do) leaving you with 1/2 a tin of creamed corn and some corn niblets that don't get used, but that is never a problem, because I will just throw together a corn chowder the next day, sized for just us. Or I will pop both into a container and freeze them to make a corn chowder another time! No problemo.
I really love meals like this. Todd, not so much. He always asks me if I am punishing him, what did he do wrong, but haha, I think he is exaggerating because he always eats it, so methinks he doesn't dislike pasta as much as he says.
Or maybe I am just wearing him down . . . or maybe, like salad, he is only since marrying me getting to taste how really good it can be!
I always try to be positive about these things. ☺
A bit of chopped cooked bacon or ham would also be very good in this, in which case it would definitely be a main dish. But it goes with all sorts . . . which is what makes it the ideal dish for taking out to get-togethers.
I have never frozen it myself, as like I said, I usually halve the recipe, but I can't see any reason why it wouldn't freeze well. So you could cook the whole dish and divide it into two casseroles, packing one up all airtight and freezing it prior to baking, so that on a later date all you have to do is take it out, de-frost and bake as per the recipe requires.
*Creamy Sweetcorn Mac & Cheese*
Makes 8 servings
This is a delicious side dish that is great for bring to pot lucks and BB Q's. Everyone loves it.
450g elbow macaroni (4 cups)
65g butter (1/4 cup)
35g plain flour (1/4 cup)
360ml semi skim milk (1 1/2 cps)
240ml heavy cream (1 cup)
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
1/2 tsp onion powder (not salt)
1 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 (418g) tin of creamed corn (14.75oz)
1 (285g) tin of sweet corn kernels, drained (10 oz)
365g grated strong cheddar cheese (3 cups sharp cheddar)
90g grated Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup)
About 6 dry crackers buttered lightly and then crumbled
Put a large pan of lightly salted water on to boil. Cook the
macaroni in this according to the package directions. While the
macaroni is cooking, make the sauce.
Melt
the butter in a largish saucepan. Whisk in the flour, until smooth. Cook
for about a minute. Whisk in the mustard powder, onion powder, salt
and pepper. Whisk in the milk and cream. Cook, whisking constantly,
until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Whisk in all but 60g (1/2 cup)
of the cheddar and half of the Parmesan cheese. Stir to melt. Stir in
the creamed corn and the drained corn kernels.
Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Butter a large shallow baking dish. (9 by 13 inch)
Drain
the macaroni well and stir it into the sauce. Pour into the prepared
baking dish. Mix together the remaining cheddar and Parmesan and
sprinkle evenly over top. Crumble the buttered cracker crumbs over top
of all.
On this particular day we had this with Sole Goujons and salad, and it went down a real treat. Plus the leftovers were awfully tasty, heated up in a skillet the day after for our supper and served with crusty bread. Oh, I do love LOVE pasta that is heated up the day after in a skillet, so that you have lots of crispy little bits to enjoy. Yes. I am a bit of a glutton. Love me or leave me. I don't think that is anything that is going to change now. Bon Appetit!
One of my favourite things is nutmeg. I love the way it smells and I love the way it tastes. It is a member of the sweet baking spices, and very fragrant, but its very unique, sweet, nutty and almost astringent flavour, enables it to be able to stand on its own, much more acceptably than the others. In fact, its flavour is almost improved when used on its own. It is the fruit of a tree called Evergreen, which grows in Indonesia, and it is a spice which works well with both sweet and savoury dishes.
It is one of the major flavourings used in breakfast sausage and I always add a pinch of it to my cooked carrots. (Its my secret ingredient!) Everyone loves my cooked carrots. It is also a vital component of my bechamel sauce. It works majorly in these beautifully fragrant and delicious muffins I am sharing with you today.
The recipe uses 1 1/2 whole nutmegs grated. I can no longer truly remember where I got the recipe from, as I have it handwritten in a small notebook of mine. I do believe however, that the original recipe might come from The Breakfast Book, by the late Marion Cunningham.
At
first glance one might think that 1 1/2 nutmegs is a whole lotta
nutmeg, and it looks like a whole lotta nutmeg, but trust me when I say,
it works beautifully! There are NO other flavours added to these and it doesn't need them. No vanilla. No cinnamon. No nothing. Just nutmeg.
You could use already ground nutmeg, but if you do, make sure it is a fresh jar. The really lovely flavour comes from the use of FRESH nutmeg, which is why I highly recommend that you buy some whole nutmegs and grate your own. It doesn't really take that long and is well worth the effort, both in smell and flavour. 1 1/2 whole nutmegs. I looked up on line how much that would be the equivalent of and it says 3 tsp. Mine looked like a whole lot more than that however. So judge accordingly.
These are moist and delicious with full on nutmeg flavour. You might think the flavour would be obnoxious, but in reality it isn't. Its perfect. I do not use papers. I like to bake them directly in a well greased pan.
The edges get all crispy. I love that quality of a muffin . . . these also peak very nicely.
Just look at that beautiful highly speckled texture. They are great served warm, with some butter and jam, but I like them just as they are with nothing added. Just the warm muffin, and perhaps a warm cuppa something . . . or maybe a cold glass of milk. Whatever floats your boat.
I think these are a muffin you will truly fall in love with. I had not made them for quite some time and I have to tell you, I fell in love with them again today. So much so that I very naughtily ate not one but two. True confessions. I will repent tomorrow.
*Nutmeg Muffins*
Makes one dozen
These
muffins smell gorgeous when they are baking. You might think it is a
lot of nutmeg, but trust me, they taste beautiful. However if you are
not a lover of nutmeg, you may not like them. I adore nutmeg.
280g plain flour (2 cups all purpose)
140g sugar (3/4 cup)
1 TBS baking powder
1 1/2 whole nutmegs, grated (3 tsp)
1/2 tsp salt
1 large free range egg
72g butter, melted (5 TBS)
180ml heavy cream (3/4 cup)
180ml milk (3/4 cup)
Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Butter a non-stick 12-cup medium muffin tin really well. Set aside.
Whisk
together all of the dry ingredients. Whisk together all of the wet
ingredients. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Pour in
the wet ingredients, and stir together until just moistened without any
dry streaks. Lumps are okay. Divide equally amongst the prepared
muffin cups.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20
minutes until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the centre of one
comes out clean. Serve warm. Store any leftovers in an airtight
container.
If you don't like nutmeg, you won't like these, but if you do like it, you are going to fall in love with these beautiful muffins. I think it would be worth baking these and popping them into the freezer so that when the weather gets really hot a bit later on in the season, you have something tasty to enjoy that won't heat up the kitchen. Simply pop into a microwave and warm on high for about 30 seconds. Bon Appetit!
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