Martha A. Cheves's Blog, page 100

Cookies and Brownies

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Get creative with your cookies and brownies.  The brownies above are from a mix and I simply added about 1/2 cup of chocolate covered peanuts and 1/2 cup of Milk Duds cut in half.  Mix and bake according to the package.  I'm not a chocolate fan but these became a really big hit with some of my testers.

The cookies are simply nothing but a package of peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips added.  You can also add a few nuts if you like or use caramel chips instead of the chocolate.  Or throw in some of the chocolate covered peanuts and Milk Duds. 

New Oatmeal Flavors

I love flavored coffee but don't like to make it in my regular coffee pot.  It seemed to carry some of it's flavor over into my next pot of regular coffee.  I don't use the flavored creamers because I don't drink my coffee with sugar and they all seem to be sweetened with either sugar or a substitute.  So, for Christmas I became the proud owner of a Krueg single cup coffee maker.  Now I treat myself to a couple cups of flavored coffee every day. 

I also love oatmeal and eat it daily but don't have time to cook my favorite the "Old Fashion" kind so I depend on the instant that can be made in the microwave.  As with my coffee, I love the flavored oatmeal but they too have a good bit of sugar or sugar substitute. 

Today I made a wonderful discovery!  I had about 1/2 cup of my cup of Caramel flavored coffee left and was getting ready to make my cup of oatmeal when it hit me.  Why not flavor my oatmeal with flavored coffee.  I was Thinking With My Taste Buds.  I used flavored coffee instead of water and it is DELICIOUS!  Oatmeal comes in flavors like banana bread, spice and apple cinnamon.  I've just added flavors to my oatmeal such as Hazelnut, Caramel and Egg Nog.  Any flavor you like in your coffee will be good in your oatmeal.

Potato Puffs

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The original recipe called for "real" potatoes baked, mashed and seasoned with green onions.  I simplified the whole recipe by using instant potatoes with the works.  The original recipe called for a Shake 'N Bake coating, I changed it to the seasoned Panko.  You can change these by using regular instant potatoes and adding cooked, crumbled bacon for a stronger flavor.  You can use regular instant potatoes and add shredded dried meat.  As always...Think With Your Taste Buds.

See the full recipe by going to Martha's Recipe Cabinet

Kibbles & Bits For Humans

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My Niece ask for some simple recipes to work up for the super bowl game.  I referred her to the wonderful Pace Stuffed Mushrooms but decided to see what else I could work up.  So, this is what I came up with.

I'm sure most of you have found yourself with packages of just a little of this and a little of that but not enough to do anything with.  I've found a way to use those almost ready to throw away packages.  I looked around my kitchen and found a few thin pretzels (about 2/3 cup after I broke them in half), a few corn tortilla chips that I had used for scooping salsa (about 1/2 cup after breaking them into bite size pieces), about 3-4 cups of oat cereal waiting for someone to finish off.  I dumped everything in a large baking pan, added some pecan halves, a stick of butter chopped up, a few splashes of hot sauce and enough Montreal steak seasoning to fit my taste.

After mixing everything together I placed the pan in a 325 degree oven for about an hour stirring about every 15 minutes and testing to make sure I have enough seasoning. 

Changes - I really love the combined taste of all the items I put in my Kibbles but the flavors can be changed just by adding different seasonings as well as main ingredients.  You change or add to the nuts.  I will admit that I added walnuts and didn't like them so I took them out but you might like the addition.  You can add the small cheese crackers such as "fish" or use the traditional square cereals.  Remember - Think With Your Taste Buds.

Bacon Broccoli Quiche

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The idea for this dish came from a recipe for Garden Frittata.   The Frittata has on crust and I wanted a crust.  It had no meat so I added bacon.  It called for a couple of ingredients that I decided not to add so to compensate for the changes I increased a couple of the ingredients.  This is so simple to make and is perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and even dinner.  Add a salad and roll and you have dinner.

Changes and short cuts - you can use precooked bacon to save time.  You can change the meat to ham instead of bacon or change the cheese.  You can even use asparagus instead of broccoli.

See the full recipe by going to Martha's Recipe Cabinet

Sunrise in Charlotte, NC

I took this picture last month and thought it was so beautiful that I wanted to share it with everyone.

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Pace Stuffed Baby Bellas

Foodbuzz's Tastemakers and Pace Picante sent me 2 free jars of Pace's Original Picante Sauce to work up a dish suitable for a Super Bowl party.  I didn't make up one but 3 that I think will tantalize the taste buds of just about anyone who loves mushrooms. 

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36 Baby Bellas
1 jar (8 oz.) Pace Picante Sauce
Medium size, pre-cooked shrimp
Wheat Crackers
cracker size cuts of cheddar cheese
Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Gently wipe off your mushrooms.  Carefully, using the tip of a paring knife, cut around the stem without cutting through into the cap of the mushroom.  Pop out the stem and set aside for other dishes.  For those made without crackers, spray a mini muffin pan with non-stick spray.  Place mushrooms, cap side down into each tin.  Fill each cap with Pace Picante Sauce.  Top with shrimp and sprinkle with pepper jack cheese.  For those made with crackers, line a cookie pan with foil, spray with non-stick spray.  Assemble - cracker, cheddar cheese square, mushroom cap, Pace Picante Sauce and pepper jack cheese.  Bake 15-20 minutes. 

I passed these around to some of my Food Testers.  They were a great hit!  I personally like those made with shrimp best but I love shrimp.  Those made with crackers are delicious but are 2-3 biters so you must remember the Pace Picante sauce is inside and can spill out.  But it's worth it!

Pictured - Top left - Crackers with cheddar, Pace Picante and Pepper Jack
                Top Right - No crackers with Pace Picante and Pepper Jack
                Bottom - No crackers wit Pace Picante, Shrimp and Pepper Jack

Enjoy!

Cheezy Salmon Patties

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2 cans (5 oz. each) boneless, skinless salmon, drained
1 egg
1/4 cup instant mash potatoes
3/4 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
Panko bread crumbs
oil for cooking

In a bowl mix salmon, egg, instant potatoes and cheese.  Cover and let sit for about 30 minutes.  Shape into patties, press into Panko, both sides.  Heat enough oil to lightly cover the bottom of your frying pan.  Cook patties on medium heat for 4 -  5 minutes on each side.  Patties should be golden brown with a crisp outside. Makes 6-8 depending on size.

I love Salmon Patties and am always looking for a new way to make them.  When I came up with this idea I just knew it had to work and boy did it.  The outside is crisp and the inside is moist and tasty. 

Red Bird and Snow

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This was too pretty not to share.  I took this after our last snow/ice storm.

Beautiful contrast!

Hushpuppy Cornbread

[image error] This was one of my Think With Your Taste Bud moments.  I had made a pot of soup and wanted some cornbread to go with it so when I went to get out my cornmeal I spotted a bag of Hushpuppy Mix.  I thought "why not?"  I looked at the directions and it required that you add water only.  Well, I decided to give it a try but to use buttermilk instead of water.  I mixed 2 cups of the Hushpuppy Mix with enough buttermilk that would make it smooth and creamy.  I sat that aside, put a little cooking oil in my cast iron frying pan and let it heat up while my oven heated to 400 degrees.  When the pan was ready I added enough water to make the mix the consistency of cake batter and poured it into the hot skillet.  All that was left was to bake until golden brown and EAT!  The onion and garlic flavors in the Hushpuppy Mix gave the cornbread a wonderful flavor.  I think I could have eaten the whole pan.