Blast from my past, PORCUPINE BALLS! School Lunch Series

Is my memory serving me when I say we had these for school lunches in elementary school?  I think we always had them with mashed potatoes, which is why I always still serve them with mashed potatoes.  I had forgotten about them for years, and then my sister made them a few years ago and it sparked my porcupine ball love back up and I had to redo them, MY way!!  

Isn't it funny how food can take us to a place, way back when in our minds?  Certain foods (and songs) remind me of certain times in my life,  different experiences or situations and sometimes I let the memory play out in my head and sometimes I shut it off, it wasn't good the first time, and it sure as heck wasn't going to come out any different or better the second time!  

These do use a convenience item of canned tomato soup, but I don't care who ya' are, it is just good sometimes!!  This is a great make ahead and put it in the fridge so it just needs popped in the oven type of meal!  Chefwannabe fans with families, this is a must try for you!  So pay attention and eat ALL of your lunch!!  

 Now lets get started on what we need for 6-8 big balls.

PORCUPINE BALLS
2 lbs ground beef
1 1/2 cups raw minute rice
3 tbsp dry Italian seasoning
1/4 cup dehydrated onion or 2 tbsp fresh grated onion
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
2 cans of tomato soup

In a bowl combine ground beef, rice, onion, seasoning, salt, pepper, red pepper and 1/2 can of tomato soup.  Use your hands people!  Clean em' up and get em' in there!  Form into balls.  Size is up to you.  Place in 9x13 pan and cover meatballs in remaining tomato soup.  I sprinkle a wee sprinkle of parsley on top or course salt.  Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes depending on meatball size!  Serve with mashed potatoes and green beans! 

Hope you enjoy my recreated school lunch and take the time to think about your own favorite school lunches and post them, I will try to recreate them as well!!!  Share with me one of your favorite school lunch memories!  

Your "Ord Elementary Alumni" Chefwannabe

Chris

Homemade Vanilla Extract...

...don't do your holiday baking without it!  Ok well, it is a little late to be telling you that.  I mean, I should have posted this weeks ago, maybe months.  However, it is to easy, and cheap and delicious to not still do it for your regular baking or gift giving!!!

Since I am not a great baker, this has passed me by until a month or so ago.  I saw a random YouTube video on making your own vanilla extract.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven, have you bought REAL vanilla extract lately?  You may need to run to the bank for a loan first!  Your option or that, or buy some imitation, tastes like marshmallows stuff that is cheap and disgusting!

I researched this so long, I even asked some fellow foodie friends who had done it.  I was torn over the amount of beans to use, if I should use expensive vodka, or some, rot gut, not for human consumption type. You can watch 10 video's and read 20 articles or blogs and get that many opinions, so I went with what I hoped would work best, or my wallet hoped!!  Cheap vodka!  Whatever vodka you decide to use it must be 80 proof.  I got some glass decorative jars, and Madagascar vanilla beans!  There are different grades of beans.  Use extract grade beans, your choice of Madagascar or Tahitian!

Vanilla beans are very expensive.  In fact, in my grocery store they are almost 9.00 for one bean.  I went to E bay and was able to purchase a small package of 15 for .99 cents and 5.00 shipping.  Good deal no matter how you slice it.  I need to go order more and a larger quantity!  I bought a couple of jars at my local Hobby Lobby, which were on sale for half price.  Got them for 1.00 each.  I purchased the largest bottle of cheap vodka I could find, just under 10.00 at Walmart.  

The ratio is a craps shoot.  I am convinced.  I read and saw everything from 8 beans for 1/2 cup of vodka to 2 beans for one cup.  I went in the middle and went 4 beans, for each jar which held approx 3/4 to 1 cup of vodka.  I split the bean down the middle, scrapped out the seeds and put them in their respective jars, then cut the pods into 2-3 inch pieces and put in along with the beans.  Can I tell you the smell was AH-MAZING.  I filled them up with vodka, put their lids on and gave them a shake.  They need to be shaken about once a week, stored in a dark cool place and left to sit.  

The day they were made!

Here is the next game you can play....how long?  Some say they can be used after 4-6 weeks.  Some say not for 6 months.  Some say use after 4-6 weeks but they reach their best at 6 months and after.  So it is up to you to decide.  Do your own research if you like.  I am going to use mine after 6 weeks a time or 2 and see how it is.  I will decide from there and let you know in the comments underneath how it turns out when that time comes.    I will be giving a few bottle as extra gifts on some of my cookies trays with a decorative tag saying something like, "use at your own risk"! :)  Nothing like getting a gift you can't use for 6 months right?  That is my great planning skills hard at work!

Here is what they look like now, after 5 days.

I cannot stand the wait, to see how this turns out.  Let me know if you have made it and how it turned out for you.  Did you use cheap vodka or expensive and did you go with Madagascar beans or Tahitian?  Please, share your secrets and make this, your wallet will thank you!!

Your "getting ready to bake some delicious goodies" chefwannabe

Chris

Lucy and Ava's Favorite Peanut Butter Tookies (Dog Treats)

 

Yes, I said "tookies".  I have this other language I speak to the dogs.  Come on you dog lovers, I KNOW you know what I mean!! The dogs know what I am saying and I know what I am saying, isn't that all that matters?  I have been told that my language is used a bit more than the average, but, I talk to the dogs alot.  They never get mad, they always love me, and they love my music and TV shows!  The dogs I am speaking of are my sisters dogs, however, since losing our beloved black lab 2 years ago, we have adopted them as our children too!  Lucy is the biggest lapdog (105lbs of pure love and chub) of a female choc lab I have ever seen, and Ava is a pretentious, yet sweet, red pointer lab.  


I have been on the lookout for a great recipe for dog treats for awhile.   I have found many of them, but they all seemed to require specialty ingredients and I wanted to find something you could make out of your own pantry.  I got this one from the vet clinic!  Lucy is my taste tester so I gave her a taste of the dough and she loved it!  (I know because she TOLD me, duh) :)   I used a heart, and a dog bone for cookie cutters.  The bone was probably bigger than I might have liked   but if you have a big dog, they will be just fine.  

This recipe calls for organic peanut butter, however I used regular peanut butter and for the record, its perfectly fine for dogs.  I had to pick up wheat flour but that was it, everything else is regular pantry staples and I think wheat flour will be now as well.  So, let's get to the recipe so your doggies can get some special "tookies" of their own tonight!


Lucy and Ava's Favorite Peanut Butter Tookies:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups white flour
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup water
2 tablespoons oil 

 

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine oil, peanut butter and water. Add flour, one cup at a time, forming a dough. Knead dough into firm ball and roll to 1/4 inch thickness.  I just do this in my stand mixer.
 

 

Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes. Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

You can see the bones are a little bigger than the others, so it really is just personal preference. The amount you get will depend on the size cookie cutters you use.  I hope your dogs and puppies LOVE these "tookies" and what great Christmas gifts in little cellophane bags to accompany cookie trays to your human friends! (who have dogs)  

 

Your "dogs are angels in disguise"chefwannabe

Chris

Bread Pudding w/Eggnog Spiced Glaze; A Family Tradition

Accckk!!!  One more week to Thanksgiving!  Are you ready?  Menu planned, shopping done?  House cleaned?   So much to do, isn't there?  I admit I am slightly obsessive about cleaning daily so I never have much to do in that department.  I haven't even bought my turkey yet.  Oh well, it all falls into place in time.  I like to prep and bake my desserts the day before.  Baking has never been my cup of tea in the past.  I don't like to follow recipes, and in baking, its all a science, and you must follow a recipe for the most part.  I made it my mission a couple of years ago to really practice baking and try and work on some cakes, pies, desserts I can always go to.  That is where we get this recipe.

First let me tell you what happened the second or third time I made this.  I went to the store, I was making a meal of all my husbands favorite things.  I picked up this lovely baguette of crusty bread, got home, ripped it up and let it sit out until I was ready to use it.  I prepared my custard, mixed it up, let it sit, baked it and was letting it cool.  Dinner came, and went and I told my husband I had made him bread pudding.  He took up a huge portion, and I even had some heavy cream to drizzle over the top.  He ate the first bite and said, "Chris, did you do something different with this"?  I said no, and he continued to eat, with a bit of apprehension, but he ate it.  He got to the last bite and said, "OMG, I know what it is, its GARLIC bread".  He ate the entire bowl, so he wouldn't hurt my feelings.  I didn't even smell the garlic.  I have no idea how it happened and I didn't catch it.  He retells this story every chance he gets.  Poor guy.

My dad has always been a huge bread pudding fan.  Although he enjoys his laden with raisins.  My husband and son love it too, with no raisins!  I don't like it at all, as it just feels like soggy bread, which is enough to make me throw myself off a bridge.  Ick.  In light of everyone else I know loving it, I decided to perfect it as best I could to my families liking.  This recipe can be used all through the holidays, and I am wondering how it would do in a muffin tin, for individual portions for a party or potluck.  Bet it would be awesome that way! You know me and my "everyone gets their own" syndrome.  I will post my regular recipe, and I will also list how I changed it up for this great egg noggy flavor.  I will post the glaze recipe underneath.  I don't make the glaze on a regular basis, just for special occasions.

Bread Pudding w/EggNog Spiced Glaze
2 cups granulated sugar 
5 large beaten eggs 
2 cups milk 
3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 

1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

1 1/2 tsp nutmeg (optional)
4 cups cubed Italian bread
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar 
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan.

Mix together granulated sugar, eggs, and milk in a bowl; add vanilla. Pour over cubed bread and let sit for 10 minutes.

In another bowl, mix and crumble together brown sugar and butter.

Pour bread mixture into prepared pan. With a spoon, dot the brown sugar mixture all over the top and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until set.  Let cool.

EggNog Spiced Glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp caramel macchiato non dairy creamer (or vanilla, eggnog, milk)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
PINCH of ground cloves
1/2 tsp vanilla

Whisk until smooth and use smell serving pitcher or gravy boat to drizzle over the top of your bread pudding!!

Enjoy this Simmerman family favorite!!  Blessings for a joyous holiday season to you all!!

PS.  If you omit the sauce for the top and the "optional" items in the ingredients, you will have the best plain old bread pudding EVER!

Your "happy holiday" chefwannabe

Chris

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Your "lets get to 1000 fans on Facebook" chefwannabe
Chris

Perfect Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Ask most people what their favorite food is at a large family gathering or for Thanksgiving.  I can guarantee you, it is probably the mashed potatoes with gravy.  I am about to confess something I have never verbalized, let alone on a public forum.  I love mashed potatoes and gravy like a little chubby kid likes chocolate and cake.  I love it almost as much as I love my family, actually I do love it more than many of them now that I think about.  Sorry, I think I was thinking out loud.  :)

I have had a few questions regarding, lumpy gravy, tasteless mashed potatoes, and lots of others.  I decided even though it may be easy for some, sometimes the easy things can be the hardest to perfect.  I think I was born with mashed potato and gravy knowledge!  I have perfected my own recipes for this, and want to share them with you.  Please do not expect to make mashed potatoes and gravy, heart healthy, fat free, low calorie or any of that.  If you are totally concerned, skip this one and make something else!  It is funny because before I was with my husband I would say no family meal would be complete without them.  Now that my Italian mother in law has had all of our holidays, and made me really tap into my Italian heritage.....I would say no "non Italian family meal" would be complete without them.  My husband being the Jersey boy he is calls it, "farm food"! Of course, his opinion doesn't matter, he doesn't particularly enjoy mashed potatoes and gravy.  This marriage may not work out after all!

I do not have a preference when it comes to the variety of potatoes, whatever you have is going to work.  Maybe some work better than others but they all work!  I hate peeling potatoes but its obviously a necessary evil.  Wait!  This is why we had kids right?!?!   Make sure after you boil your potatoes you dump them back into your hot pot to let any extra moisture evaporate off.  No soggy mash here!  Some people smash, some mash and some whip.  These are your WHIPPED variety, our favorite!

 Anyway  I always get asked to bring baked mac and cheese and mashed potatoes w/gravy to meals I am not hosting, so here we go on your quest for the perfect ones!  This recipe will serve 4 at least.


Mashed Potatoes
4 cups cubed, peeled potatoes
2 tsp salt (divided)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk/cream/half and half  *more or less depending on the consistency you like*
1/4 cup butter  (not shown in picture)
1 tsp dried parsley

Fill a large pot with cold water.  Add potatoes and 1 tsp salt, cover and bring to a boil.  Start checking at 15 minutes, to see if your potatoes are fork tender.  When they are, drain well and put back in the hot pot.  While they are cooking, in a small pot add in milk, salt, pepper, and butter. Heat to a simmer and turn off.  Add to your drained potatoes along with your sour cream, and using a hand mixer, beat on low for 1 min and whip for 2-3 minutes. Yes WHIP.  Don't skip this!
Cover with lid, to keep warm until ready to serve.

G  R  A  V  Y

Now, if you use this for Thanksgiving, you will use your turkey drippings.  I find it easiest to make it in the roaster but will give you the recipe for making it in a separate pan.  (My photo will illustrate mine in the same pan I made my chicken in, so I could get the good flavor off the bottom.) Remove turkey from roaster and pour drippings from roaster into a bowl or measuring cup.  Get out a saucepan large enough for the amount of gravy you need and lets get it started!


2 cups chicken/turkey/beef stock (I always do low sodium)
1 tsp parsley (I like the color it adds)
2 tbsp cornstarch *plus 1 tsp*
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning

In a large measuring cup or bowl combine COLD stock, parsley, cornstarch, pepper and poultry seasoning.  Heat pan drippings in a saucepan to a simmer.  Begin adding your stock mixture, whisking as you go.  It will begin to thicken instantly.  When you have added all of your stock mixture, continue whisking for 1 minute, pour into gravy boat and serve!

I gave you the recipe using cornstarch as your thickener.  For beginners I think it is easiest.  Just remember, cornstarch can NOT be added alone to a hot liquid, it will clump and be lumpy.  You add it to the cold stock first, whisk it and then add the mixture.  You can also make a roux, 3 tbsp butter to 3 tbsp of flour, and slowly add in stock mixture minus the cornstarch.  I prefer using cornstarch for a light colored gravy, it is just my personal preference. I always use a roux for beef gravy or white country gravy.

Your gravy flavorings are also determined by what you have seasoned your turkey with or your meat of choice.  If you have flavored your turkey for instance using some lemon but don't want lemon in your gravy, use all new stock, no pan drippings or your gravy will have a hint of lemon in it's flavor.

I hope you enjoy one of the most famous sides of Thanksgiving!  I know I will, and you can bet I will make TONS of extra gravy for the stuffin' muffins and the turkey!

Your "more mash please"chefwannabe
Chris

Is it a side, or is it dessert? Pineapple Stuffing

My tummy is so full, I had to come lay on my bed to blog tonight!  I did alot of blog cooking, so there was enough food for an army!  I wish you could have smelled it cooking!  First I smelled the pineapple, then cinnamon and nutmeg, then poultry seasoning in my gravy, it was a party in my nose!

I was recently asked by a fan and high school friend of chefwannabe what she could bring to the Thanksgiving dinner that had everything.  I know how this goes and it is so hard to find something that isn't already being served.  Well, let me tell you, this is your recipe.  This is one thing people love, yet have never eaten before.  They won't know if its a side dish or a dessert.  Its great with any dinner but my family especially loves it with ham.  This was a recipe I got from my mother-in-law, after she made it our first Thanksgiving as a family.  My husband and son went crazy over it.  In fact, as I type my husband is saying,  "I LOVE that pineapple stuffing, I think I would even like it if you stuffed it up a turkey".  Stuffed it "up" a turkey?  Oh my darling husband and his blunt honesty.  It is a blessing and a curse!

I have no change ups or change outs for this one.  It is plain, simple, easy, and uses nothing you likely don't already have in your kitchen.  I hope you try it this holiday season, you will really be pleased with it's taste, it's uniqueness and you will be showered in compliments!

Pineapple Stuffing

1/2 cup butter (softened)

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 20 ounce can of crushed pineapple AND the juice

5-6 slices of white bread cubed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease or spray casserole dish or baking pan.  Cream together butter and sugar.  Beat in eggs one at a time, then add pineapple and bread cubes.  Pour into baking dish and bake for 1 hour.  Let cool 15 minutes at least, before you serve!

Before baking!

I hope you enjoy this unique and fabulous dish!  Holiday blessings to you all as you prepare meals filled with love, tradition and memories for the ones you love!!!

Your "thanksgiving dinner lovin" chefwannabe