Coconut Breaded Chicken Strips

This recipe is small.  It will serve 2 (or 4 as a side dish)

1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup crushed soda crackers
1 tsp ground ginger
cracked pepper to taste
1 egg
2 boneless chicken breasts, cut in strips

First crush the soda crackers.  You can put the crackers in a waxed cereal bag and crush them with your hand or a rolling pin. 

Once they are crushed then measure to make 1/2 cup. Now add the coconut, ginger and pepper to the crackers in the waxed bag. Set aside.

In a bowl mix beaten egg with chicken strips.

Take a few at a time and put them in the bag.  Shake the bag to coat. 

Place on parchment lined baking sheet.  When all are coated bake in a preheated oven at 400 F for 20-30 minutes.

Here they are served alongside Scalloped Mac'n Cheese.
http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/05/scalloped-macn-cheese.html

Scalloped Mac'n Cheese

This is a recipe from a cookbook my Mom had which had been passed down to her from her aunt.  The book, called "The Bride's Book" was published in 1932.

This is the original recipe here. My tweeks on it will follow.

I used:

2 cups macaroni
2 tbsps margarine
1 tbsp flour
2  1/2 cups milk
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, chopped
1/2 lb (2 cups) old cheddar, grated
1 - 28 oz can whole tomatoes, mashed

(An ad from the Bride's Book)

In a saucepan heat the margarine and add the flour and paprika.  Whisk in the milk and cook 4-5 minutes to thicken. Add the grated cheese, then salt and pepper. Set aside.
Note:  If you like a really saucy dish, double this part.

Chop the onion and fry in a pan until lightly golden.  Mash the canned tomatoes with a potato masher, then add the fried onion.

Meanwhile cook macaroni as directed on package and drain.

Coat a 13 X 9 casserole dish with cooking spray. 
Mix a ladleful of tomatoes with the cooked macaroni.
Now layer macaroni, then tomatoes and onion in the pan. Cover with the cheese sauce.

Top with buttered bread crumbs.  Take 2 tbsp. melted margarine and mix with 3/4 cup italian bread crumbs. (Action shot)

Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes. Here it is with Coconut Breaded Chicken Strips.
http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/05/coconut-breaded-chicken-strips.html

Date Squares (Matrimonial Cake)

Date squares have been a favourite of both my husband's family and mine for many years.    I knew that they have also in the past been referred to as Matrimonial Cake, but just recently found some history on that name.

Know as Matrimonial Cake in some parts of western Canada, the wedding-related names given to the dessert made up of both smooth and rough textures are said to reflect the contrast between the easy and difficult times of marriage.

Having past our 34th wedding anniversary I like (and understand) the description of the Matrimonial Cake.
Hope you like these bars, a recipe from my tattered old Five Roses Flour cookbook.

Filling:

1 lb pitted dates, chopped
1/2 cup hot water
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4  cup brown sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
zest of 1/2 orange
1 tsp vanilla

1  1/2 cups flour
1  1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup butter or margarine

Prepare filling.  Combine dates, hot water, orange juice, brown sugar, lemon juice and zest in a saucepan.  Cook over medium heat until dates are soft and water is absorbed. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Let cool.

Meanwhile prepare the crumble.  Combine dry ingredients together in a bowl.  Work butter in with 2 knives or better yet a pastry blender until crumbly.  

Spread half the mixture in bottom of a greased 9" square pan and pat down firmly.  Cover with date filling.  Pat down remaining mixture on top. 

Bake at 375 F for 30 minutes.
Cool in pan and cut into squares.

I always double this one!  Freezes well too.

Empty-the-Fridge Spaghetti Pie

A couple of days ago we had spaghetti.  My husband made his favourite meat sauce recipe.  It goes like this:

Fry 1 1b ground beef in a pan, breaking it up as you go.  Add 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can tomato soup and 1 can tomato paste.  That's it.

I looked in the fridge today and saw a bunch of stuff that needed to be used.  Like cooked spaghetti, meat sauce, spinach dip, shredded cheese and cooked broccoli.  This is where it ended up.

Take the cooked spaghetti and mix in eggs, spinach dip (or sour cream) and parmesan or romano cheese. Prepare a pie plate with cooking spray and spread on the spaghetti mixture.

Put the chopped broccoli on top of the spaghetti "crust".

And then layer with meat (or tomato) sauce.

And finally top it off with shredded cheese (I used a pizza mix here) and sprinkle on some more parmesan or romano.

Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes.

2 cups cooked spaghetti
2 eggs
1/3 cup spinach dip (or sour cream)
1/3 cup parmesan or romano cheese
1 cup chopped cooked broccoli
1  1/2 cups meat (or tomato) sauce
1  1/2 cups shredded cheese
extra parmesan or romano

If you'd like the spinach dip recipe you can find it here.
http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/05/kofka-meatballs-with-spinach-dip.html

The shredded cheese leftover was from this recipe.
http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/03/this-is-best-pizza-ever.html

Ice Cream Scoops and Baking ?

Am I the only one who didn't know this??

A few weeks ago we were helping my husband's elderly aunt downsize before moving into a senior's residence.  While going through her stuff we came across this.

Actually there were 5 of them to begin with.  I looked at her and said "really, you need 5 ice cream scoops?"  She had a sheepish grin when she told me "well....yes.  A couple of them are for ice cream, but the others I use for baking."

WHAT?!?!?!?!!

Well, dummy me.  Of course, different sized scoops for different sized cookies, muffins, cupcakes. 
My life just got a little easier. (Thanks Beatrice)

So now I have 1 scoop for ice cream and 3 for baking.  And since she won't be doing any more baking, she has only 1 scoop. For ice cream.

Brunch "Pizza"

You can whip this up in no time.

Take 1 can crescent rolls.  Patch and press onto a 12 inch pizza pan.

Shred 1-2 apples and scatter over the crust. Sprinkle cinnamon.

 Now mix together 1 - 8 oz container of cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla.  And spread (carefully) over top of shredded apples.

Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes and top with fresh fruit.
This happened to be game day : )

Kofka Meatballs with Spinach Dip

Kofka is often made on a skewer, but I find it easier to make it into meatballs. 

1  1/4 lbs ground beef
1/2 onion, finely chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsps parsley
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp freshly ground coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
ground pepper to taste
pinch of cayenne
1/3 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 egg

Mix all ingredients together and form into balls this size and put them on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake 375 F for 25 minutes.

It goes well with Rice Salad Middle Eastern-style 
http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/05/rice-salad-middle-eastern-style.html

You can serve it with your favourite tzatziki or this spinach dip recipe from Knorr.

Knorr Spinach Dip
 
MAKES 4 cups dip      
PREP TIME: 10 Minute(s)     
CHILL TIME: 2 Hour(s)

Ingredients

1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 1 container (16 oz.) sour cream 1 cup mayonnaise 1 package Knorr Vegetable recipe mix 1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained and chopped Directions Combine all ingredients and chill for about 2 hours.