Recipe: Lucy’s Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits

Estimated Cost:  $7.00

Prep Time:  15 minutes

Cooking Time:  20 mins. per sheet

Serves:  varies based on cookie cutter

That’s my dog Lucy, and she is a total treat snob.  If the treats are not up to her expected level of excellence she does one of two things.  She either looks at the treat, then the treat giver with an expression of “yeah, right” OR she takes the treat and holds it in her mouth just long enough to ensure it’s slimy when picked off the floor.  Here is one of the treats I never have to pick up off the ground.

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter*
1 tbsp. blackstrap molasses

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Sift the flour, oats and baking powder together in a medium bowl.

3. Using an electric mixer combine the milk, peanut butter and molasses. Beat until combined. Add the flour mixture and continue mixing until combined. **Note at this stage I insert my mixers dough hook and knead on low for 2 or 3 minutes. If you do this, skip step #5.

4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.

5. Knead until a soft dough forms.

6. Roll out to 1/2″ thickness and cut with a dog bone cookie cutter. Place biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake each batch for 20 minutes.

7. Let cool on a wire baking rack or paper towels. Let cool completely before serving.

Lucy’s comments:

Woof! And Mike says, “It’s ok to use either crunchy or smooth peanut butter and that I don’t even notice when he uses the real healthy kind!”

Recipe: Breakfast Jamboree Casserole

Estimated Cost:  $8.50

Prep Time:  15 minutes

Chill Time:  2 hours

Cooking Time:  45 minutes

Serves:  6

I love breakfast, and I love casseroles.  So I guess it goes without saying that I love this recipe.  It is SO easy to prepare.  I like to put it together the night before, to save time in the morning.

2/3 pound bulk pork sausage
14 slices white sandwich bread, cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes (about 6 1/2 cups)
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)
1 1/4 cups picante sauce
1 can (4 oz.) diced green chilies
5 eggs
1 cup  milk

1. Cook the sausage in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat until well browned, stirring often to separate meat. Pour off any fat.

2. Spoon the sausage into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Top with the bread cubes and cheese. Beat the picante sauce, green chilies, eggs and milk in a medium bowl with a fork or whisk. Pour the picante sauce mixture over the bread mixture. Stir and press the bread mixture into the picante sauce mixture to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Uncover the baking dish.

4. Bake at 350°F, for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve with extra picante sauce.

Mike’s comments:

I love using this recipe when I have weekend guests. You can do all the prep work the night before, and still impress your guests with a breakfast jamboree!

Recipe: Ralph’s Party Mix

Estimated Cost:  $14.00

Prep Time:  15 minutes

Cooking Time:  1 hour

Serves:  12 cups of party mix

A Christmas staple in the Murphy home, it was always my father’s job to make the party mix.  I loved all of my mother’s wonderful cookies and holiday specialties, but when it came down to sheer volume, I think I took in more of my father’s (Ralph) party mix.  As his health began to dwindle he invited me into the process.  The torch was slowly passed and now it’s one of my happiest holiday traditions – making the party mix.

Ralph’s recipe was a little different then the original Chex recipe.  I’ve stuck to his recipe exactly.  I tried making it in the microwave one year, and found it just doesn’t come out as well.  I hope you enjoy Ralph’s Party Mix as well as I do.

3 1/2 cups Corn Chex cereal
3 1/2 cups Rice Chex cereal
2 cups Wheat Chex cereal
1 cup Cheerio cereal (original)
1 cup mixed nuts
1 cup bite-size pretzels
8 Tbs. butter (1 stick)
2 1/2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder

1. Preheat the oven to 250°F.

2. In a large, ungreased roasting pan, mix the cereals (4), nuts, and pretzels.

3. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat; stir in the Worcestershire sauce, seasoning salt, garlic powder, and onion powder.

4. Pour seasoned melted butter over the cereal mixture; toss until evenly coated.

5. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour – stirring every 15 minutes. Spread over paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight containers.

Mike’s comment’s:

I want some – now!

Recipe: Weeknight Chicken Fajitas

Estimated Cost:  $10.00

Prep Time:  20 minutes

Cooking Time:  20 minutes

Serves:  4

I love chicken fajitas, but often times I don’t have the time to put together my traditional fajita meal.  On nights like that, I pull this recipe out, and am eating in under an hour for under 10 bucks.  This is good chow.

1 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 pkg. (1.25 oz.) taco seasoning mix
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
1 pkg. (16 oz.) pepper stir fry frozen vegetable mix
8 flour tortillas (6 inch), heated (how-to)
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
chunky salsa
sour cream

1. In a medium-bowl combine the sliced chicken and taco seasoning and vegetable oil; mix to coat.

2. Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken mixture; cook and stir 5 minutes or until done, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in dressing, frozen vegetables; cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.

4. Spoon down centers of heated tortillas; top with cheese, salsa, and sour cream.

Mike’s comments:

Substitute frozen Asian mixed vegetables, or your favorite blend, in place of the pepper stir fry veggies.

Recipe: Tomato & Balsamic Bruschetta

Estimated Cost:  $10.00

Prep Time:  10 minutes

Cooking Time:  10 minutes

Serves:  16

Bruschetta is an Italian antipasto (meal starter) which dates back to at least the 15th century.  It consists of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Many variations have since evolved, including this incredibly easy, affordable, and delicious version.

1 loaf French bread (16 oz.), cut into 16 slices
2 cloves garlic, halved
1 tub (8 oz.) spreadable cream cheese
16 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup red onions, slivered
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/8 tsp. ea. salt AND pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (about 8), torn

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Place bread slices in single layer on baking sheet. Bake 3 to 4 min. on each side or until toasted on both sides. Rub with garlic. Cool.

3. Spread toast with cream cheese; top with tomatoes and onions.

4. In a medium-bowl whisk vinegar, oil, sugar, salt and pepper until well blended. Drizzle over toast slices; top with basil.

Mike’s comments:

If you’ve never “rubbed garlic” before, have no fear. I was a little taken back the first time a recipe instructed me to do this. Like many things, I made this much more difficult than it needed to be. Simply cut the cloves in half and carefully rub each slice with the sliced side of the clove. Don’t rub so hard that you tear the toasted bread, just hard enough to transfer the flavor. Some folks substitute a garlic butter spread in this stage.

You can also substitute 3/4 cup thin roasted red pepper strips for the halved tomatoes.

Recipe: Chicken Croquettes with Creamy Gravy

Estimated Cost:  $12.00

Prep Time:  30 minutes

Chilling Time:  1 hour

Cooking Time:  40 minutes

Serves:  4

A popular food from our grandmother’s era. Originally croquettes were fried.  This recipe conversion replaces the fry pan with the oven, and serves them with a yummy, basil-seasoned gravy.

3 Tbs. butter
1 med. yellow onion, finely chopped
2 Tbs. minced parsley OR 2 tsp. parsley flakes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 Tbs. milk
I lb. ground chicken breast, cooked
1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 lg. egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
Creamy Gravy (recipe below)

1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in the parsley. In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, and red pepper. Stir into onion mixture; cook for 1 minute or until bubbly. Add the chicken broth and milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to thicken. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more or until thickened.

2. Pour mixture into a large bowl. Stir in cooked ground chicken and the 1/3 cup bread crumbs. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Using your hands, shape 1/4 cup of the mixture into a 3/4-inch patty. Repeat with remaining mixture.

3. Preheat oven to 375°F.

4. Place beaten egg in a shallow dish. Place the 1/2 cup bread crumbs on a sheet of wax paper or large dish. Coat the patties with bread crumbs, then dip in the egg and coat again with the crumbs. Arrange the patties in a lightly greased baking pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until patties are golden and heated through. Serve with Creamy Gravy.

Creamy Gravy Recipe:

1 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1 cup milk

1. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour, basil, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute until bubbly.

2. Add the milk. Whish constantly until mixture starts to thicken. Cook and whisk for 2 minutes longer until thickened. Yields 1 cup.

Mike’s comments:

Ground chicken is not always readily available in the meat department of the grocery store. If you can’t find it simply ask the butcher to grind up 1 pound of chicken breast filets.

Recipe: Grilled Indonesian Lamb Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Estimated Cost:  $15.00+*

Prep Time:  1 hour

Marinade Time:  1 hour

Grill Time:  3 – 4 minutes

Serves:  4

This recipe doesn’t fit neatly into the “Kitchen Survival” niche save for the fact it’s beyond delicious.  It will probably cost a little over 15 bucks and it has a decent amount of preparation time.  It’s just so damn good. It’s not super expensive, and its short grill time makes up for the longer preparation. 

This recipe comes pretty much straight out of my grilling bible, “Weber’s Big Book of Grilling“, which I strongly recommend for grill beginners and aficionados alike.  This recipe includes both a marinade, and a sauce, both of which are excellent, and stand on their own with ease.

“For a quick weekday dinner, make the marinade and sauce ahead and chill them.  Add the lamb to the marinade just before you’re ready to start.”

The Marinade:
1 lg. clove garlic, crushed (how to)
1 star anise
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 Tbs. fresh ginger, finely chopped (how to)
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp. chili powder

The Meat:
2 lamb loins, about 1/2-pound ea.

The Sauce:
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 tsp. Thai red curry paste
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried lemongrass
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. granulated sugar

To make the marinade: In a food processor or blender combine the marinade ingredients and process until smooth.

Trim the lamb of any excess fat or sinew. Cut the loins crosswise (against the grain) in 1/2-inch slices. Place the slices in a large, resealable plastic bag, and pour in the marinade. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Turn the bag several times to distribute the marinade, place the bag in a bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, turning occasionally.

To make the sauce: In a medium sauté pan, over medium heat, warm the vegetable oil. Add the red curry paste, cumin, and lemongrass, stirring to release their fragrance, about 10 seconds. Add the peanut butter, coconut milk, and 1/2 cup water. Mix well. Add the soy sauce, lime juice, and sugar; stir. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.

Remove the lamb from the bag and discard the marinade. Thread the lamb slices lengthwise onto skewers. Just before you grill the lamb, gently reheat the sauce; whisk in a little coconut milk, if needed, to thin it. Grill the lamb over medium coals for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time. Serve hot with the sauce.

Mike’s comments:

*A meal suitable for Annapurna, and when serving a Hindu goddess, sometimes you have to break the $15.00 per meal ceiling.

Tip & Recipe: Marinade Magic on the Grill

I love marinades, in fact I collect the magic formulas that create wonderful culinary goodness.

Wikipedia tells us that marination is the process of soaking foods in a seasoned, often acidic, liquid before cooking.  It is commonly used to flavor foods and to tenderize tougher cuts of meat.   The process may last seconds or days. Different marinades are used in different cuisines.

That does not mean you can’t use a marinade on a tender cut of meat.  Keep in mind marinades BOTH tenderize the meat and infuse flavor.  Since the acidic levels in the marination process actually break down the tissue in the meat, the tenderizing part, it’s important to not let tender cuts marinate too long, or they will get mushy and icky.

In today’s post, I tried to share all the information you need to get on the road to becoming a marinade master (or mistress). First I share some tips, then some recipes, and finally a grilling chart to give you an idea how to cook just about anything you might want to marinate. The recipes mention the meats they work best with. The grilling chart shares marination and grilling times for specific meats.

A few tips to help with happy marination:

• Marinate in a covered nonmetal dish or sealed plastic bag.  I love using those gallon-size Ziploc bags.
• Turn the meat (or turn the bag) occasionally so all sides are covered with the marinade.
• Refrigerate the marinating meat for the time specified.  Marinating at room temperature allows bacteria to grow.
• Baste the meat marinade during grilling to keep the meat moist and add extra flavor.
• Don’t marinate longer then 24 hours.
• If you are going to use the leftover marinade for a dipping sauce be sure to bring it to a boil before doing so.  This ensures a safe, bacteria free, dipping sauce – which is a good thing!

The marinade recipes:

Asian Marinade
Delicious marinade for pork chops, fish, or chicken.

1 jar (9.5 oz.) kumquats, drained w/ 2 Tbs. syrup reserved
1 Tbs. grated orange peel
1/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Mix reserved kumquat syrup and remaining ingredients except kumquats. Garnish meat with kumquats. Yields 3/4 cup of marinade.

Herb Marinade
A flavorful addition to fish, chicken, pork chops or steak. I LOVE this one.

1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1 med. onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed

Simple mix all ingredients. Yields 1 cup marinade.

Sweet and Sour Marinade
Use with pork chops or steak for wonderful marination induced Nirvana!

1 can (8.25 oz.) crushed pineapple, undrained (that’s UN)
1 medium onion, cut into slices and separated into rings
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. hot sauce (red pepper sauce)

Mix all the ingredients, I like to have Lake of Fire resonating through the kitchen for best results. Yields 2 1/2 cups marinade.

Provocative Lemon Marinade
Works beautifully with chicken, fish and chops.

1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup white or red wine
2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme

Shake all ingredients in a tightly covered container or Ziploc bag. Yields 1 1/3 cups marinade.

Need more marinade recipes? Visit: Marinade Magic Revisited

Grilling Chart:

Chicken, boneless breast halves – marinate at least 1 hour. Cover and grill 10 to 20 minutes; turn. Cover and grill an additional 10 to 20 minutes, turning and brushing with marinade until done.

Chicken, broiler-fryer, cut up – marinate at least 1 hour. Cover and grill bone sides down 15 to 30 minutes; turn. Cover and grill 20 to 30 minutes longer, turning and brushing with marinade, until done.

Chicken, thighs and drumsticks – marinate at least 1 hour. Cover and grill bone sides down 15 to 20 minutes; turn. Cover and grill an additional 20 to 30 minutes, turning and brushing with marinade, until done.

Beef steaks – marinate at least 4 hours. Slash outer edges of fat diagonally at 1-inch intervals to prevent curling (do not cut into the lean). Grill 20 to 30 minutes, turning and brushing with marinade 2 or 3 times, until desired doneness.

Pork loin or chops – marinate at least 4 hours. Cover and grill 20 to 30 minutes, turning and brushing with marinade 3 or 4 times, until desired doneness.

Fish, fresh or frozen (thawed) – marinate at least 1 hour. Cover and grill about 10 minutes per inch of thickness, turning once and brushing occasionally with marinade, until fish flakes easily with fork.

Mike’s comments:

With this marination lore you can come up with countless wonderful combinations for the grill. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Have a favorite marinade? I’d love to hear about it.

Need even more marinade recipes? Visit: Marinade Magic Revisited

Recipe: Mike’s Banana Bread

Estimated Cost:  $4.00

Prep Time:  15 minutes

Cooking Time:  1 hour

Serves:  10

My solution for a delicious quick bread that will keep you from throwing out over-ripe bananas.

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed banana (approx. 3 lg.)
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour one 9×5-inch loaf pan.

2. In an electric mixer cream butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, then bananas. Add flour, soda, salt, and cinnamon; mixing just until combined.

3. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake at 350°F for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into middle of bread.

Mike’s comment’s:

I always seem to end up with 3 or 4 bananas, uneaten and over-ripened, in my pantry. It doesn’t matter if I buy 8 bananas at the grocery store or 4 – I still end up with 3 or 4 about to go bad. This recipe is my quick way of ensuring I don’t waste them.

I like to keep my banana bread in the fridge, in a Ziploc bag.

Recipe: Weeknight Chicken Cordon Bleu

Estimated Cost:  $9.00

Prep Time:  20 minutes

Cooking Time:  20 minutes

Serves:  4

Perfect for those nights after a long workday when you want something with a high yum factor but low amount of preparation required!

1 Tbs. butter
1 1/4 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of chicken soup
2 Tbs. water
2 Tbs. white wine OR chicken, beef or vegetable stock
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup diced cooked ham
6 oz. medium egg noodles, cooked and drained (about 4 cups after cooked)

1. Prepare egg noodles per their package; drain and set aside.

2. Heat the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until well browned on both sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet.

3. Stir the soup, water, wine, cheese and ham in the skillet and heat to a boil. Return the chicken to the skillet. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve the chicken and sauce with the noodles.

Mike’s comments:

I’ve been preparing this quick and easy recipe for more years then I can recall. I remember stumbling across this great recipe in a small cookbook put out by Campbell’s Soup. It was that cookbook and my Doors Greatest Hits CD that I missed most after my divorce.