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Category: American

Last-Minute Chili

Published by jarandhel on March 21, 2015
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Last-Minute Chili

This chili might take a while to actually cook, but the prep time is negligible and the cooking can take place overnight unsupervised.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings 7
Author Jarandhel Dreamsinger

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs lean ground beef
  • 1 can Manwich Sloppy Joe Mix 26.5 ounces
  • 1 can dark red kidney beans 15.5 ounces
  • 1 beef bouillon cube
  • 1 packet chili seasoning

Instructions

  1. Pour the sloppy joe mix into your slow cooker. Slowly tear off bits of the beef and mix it in.
  2. Rinse your kidney beans off well, then mix them in too.
  3. Run the tap until the water is steaming hot. Fill the can from the sloppy joe mix 1/4 of the way full. Put the beef bouillon cube in the can, and swirl the water around to collect the stray sauce. Give the cube a little time to dissolve a bit, at least until the water is a dark brownish-red. Pour into the slow cooker. If any beans or meat stick out above the water, use a spoon to push them down. The liquid should just cover everything.
  4. Put the cooker on low and let cook for approximately 7 hours.
  5. After 7 hours, add the chili seasoning, stirring it in thoroughly, and continue to simmer on low for another hour.
  6. Serve on hamburger buns, steak rolls, or tacos. Optionally, add land-o-lakes sprinkle-on sharp cheddar cheese or kraft grated American cheese if available.

Salmon Salad

Published by jarandhel on March 21, 2015
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Salmon Salad

Pretty much like tuna salad, only with salmon. I find it tastier.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1
Author Jarandhel Dreamsinger

Ingredients

  • Two 2.5 ounce foil packets of salmon of your preferred brand.
  • Three to four spoonfuls of Miracle Whip.
  • Garlic powder
  • Oregano
  • Basil
  • Mrs Dash Italian Seasoning
  • Mrs Dash Lemon Pepper Seasoning go heavy on this one
  • Poppy seeds
  • A very small less than one tablespoon splash of white vinegar.

Instructions

  1. Mix salmon and Miracle Whip thoroughly. You want just enough Miracle Whip to coat the salmon, not to overpower.
  2. Stir in other ingredients.
  3. Serve on bread. Shepherd's Bread is very good for this.

Recipe Notes

Celery seeds or onion flakes could be substituted for the poppy seeds. The point is to give it just a bit of crunch.

Lunchmeat Roll-ups

Published by jarandhel on March 21, 2015
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Lunchmeat Roll-Ups

This is a recipe I got from my fiancees' mother. It's a great way to make a quick snack or hors d’oeuvres. Easily modifiable both for tastes and the number of people you want to serve.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1

Ingredients

  • 1 soft flour tortilla
  • 1 tablespoon flavored cream cheese chives is my personal favorite
  • 2 slices lunchmeat any variety (ham works great, as one example)

Instructions

  1. Spread cream cheese onto flour tortilla. Completely cover one side.
  2. Lay lunchmeat on tortilla, covering as much of it as possible.
  3. Roll up tortilla & lunchmeat into a long, thin tube.
  4. Cut tube into bite-sized rollups.
  5. If desired, a toothpick can be placed in each rollup to hold them together.

Peanut Butter Oat Blossoms

Published by jarandhel on March 21, 2015
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Peanut Butter Oat Blossoms

A perennial christmas favorite from my childhood, slightly modified.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 16
Author Jarandhel Dreamsinger

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/2 cups whole grain oat flour not oatmeal
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Additional granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cups 10 oz Hershey's Kisses

Instructions

  1. Heat Oven to 375ºF
  2. Beat together shortening and peanut butter in a mixing bowl.
  3. Beat in 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar.
  4. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla.
  5. Combine oat flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually blend into peanut butter mixture.
  6. Shape dough into one-inch balls (one-half leveled tablespoon of dough makes a good sized ball.)
  7. Roll balls in granulated sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheet (pizza pans also work well). Bake for eight to ten minutes or until lightly browned.
  8. Immediately place a Hershey's kiss on top of each cookie, pressing down lightly to avoid cracking the cookie apart. The heat from the cookies will just slightly melt the kiss, which will harden upon cooling.
  9. Cool cookies on wire rack.

Recipe Notes

Don’t be afraid to experiment with this recipe. Rollos make a great substitute topping, as do white chocolate Hershey’s kisses.

Adapted from Recipe from the back of a pack of Hershey's Kisses.

Chicken with Salad Melt

Published by jarandhel on March 21, 2015
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Chicken with Salad Melt

A delicious chicken and green salad served on a bed of toasted bread and melted swiss cheese. Literally a salad in a sandwich.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 1
Author Jarandhel Dreamsinger

Ingredients

  • Several pieces of roasted chicken breast
  • 2 slices of swiss cheese
  • 1 italian sub roll or a length of french bread divided in half
  • 3-5 leaves of spinach with the stems removed
  • 2-3 leaves of basil
  • Several pieces of sliced onion
  • Several slices of tomato
  • 1/4 avocado peeled and sliced
  • Dressing or mayonaise optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400℉.
  2. Cut or tear slices of swiss cheese in half diagonally.
  3. Place slices on roll or bread.
  4. Rest roasted chicken breast on top of cheese.
  5. Place slided onion on top of chicken.
  6. Turn broiler of oven on. Toast sandwich for 5 minutes or until bread is slightly crispy, cheese is melted, and chicken is thoroughly warmed. Remove sandwich from oven.
  7. Roll the spinach and basil leaves into a small bundle. Slice twice, dividing it into three parts. Place spinach, tomato, and avocado on sandwich.
  8. Add dressing or mayonaise to taste.

Recipe Notes

Optionally you may add a little clarified butter to the roll underneath the cheese prior to toasting.

Ostrich and Rice Casserole

Published by jarandhel on March 20, 2015
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Ostrich and Rice Casserole

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4
Author Jarandhel Dreamsinger

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Jasmine Rice uncooked
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 heaping tablespoon butter
  • 1 small can 10 3/4 ounces campbells condensed cream of broccoli soup
  • 1 small can 10 3/4 ounces campbells condensed cream of potato soup
  • 8 ounces ground ostrich meat available at Wholefoods
  • Shredded Mozerella cheese amount will vary to taste

Spices (amount varies to taste)

  • salt
  • pepper
  • sumac
  • McCormick Hot Mexican Style Chili Powder
  • Best Chef Specialty Cajun Seasoning
  • Simply Organic Grilling Seasons Chicken Seasoning

Instructions

  1. Place water in large saucepan or pot. Place on high heat and bring to a boil.
  2. Add rice and butter. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent rice from sticking, till rice is fluffy and water has been absorbed.
  3. While rice is cooking, prepare the meat to taste. I chose to go the easy route and defrost it by microwaving, slice it into bite-sized chunks, and then cook it the rest of the way by microwaving. Cooking it in a skillet or by other means is also perfectly acceptable, but the meat must be fully cooked in this step.
  4. Place rice in a large microwave-safe container. Stir meat and condensed soups into rice. Add spices to taste and stir till the mixture appears uniform. Microwave for between two and four minutes, to help heat the soup and make sure that the rice has remained warm while the meat is being prepared. Slight cooking at this stage also seems to help disperse the taste of the spices throughout the dish.
  5. Take the cheese and stir it into the rice. The heat from the rice will melt the cheese, no further microwaving is necessary for this stage. You may also optionally further top the dish with large slices of cheese and allow them to melt somewhat before serving… microwaving for a minute or so may be necessary for this.

Meatloaf

Published by jarandhel on March 20, 2015
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Meatloaf

This is the first recipe I ever learned to cook well enough that I was comfortable experimenting with variations. This is what I came up with.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 8
Author Jarandhel Dreamsinger

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs ground beef pref lean
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 and 1/2 cups fine dry Progresso Italian-Style breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup minced onion dried onion flakes may be used
  • Ketchup to taste, but at least 3 tablespoons

Spices (amount to taste)

  • Hungarian Hot Paprika
  • Celery Salt
  • Garlic Salt
  • Oregano
  • Dill Weed
  • Grated Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

  1. Defrost the meat, crack the eggs, mix everything together.
  2. Take the meat and form it into a loaf or ring. A ring generally cooks better.
  3. Put it in a large pan or oven-safe casserole dish. Slather a light but thorough layer of ketchup over the surface of the meat, covering all areas of it (including between the pan and the meat). You're basically greasing it up with the ketchup to keep the surface from drying out while you cook it.
  4. Bake in the oven on 350 for about 45 minutes.

Recipe Notes

Remember to mix everything together VERY thoroughly, with your hands. I have sat and done this for up to an hour before.
Don't be afraid to experiment with different spices. This is YOUR meatloaf. Make it something you'll enjoy.
With the ketchup coating it has a tendency to stay looking pink even when it's done, so you'll have to cut into it to really see if it's done. You don't want to see any pink left inside of the center of the cut.
If you form the loaf into patties instead of a ring, the same recipe will also work for a very tasty hamburger.

Adapted from family recipe