Strawberry Ice Cream Shake

Prep Time: 10 minutes

1/2 cup milk
4 big ice cream scoops of vanilla ice cream
2 tbsps Hershey's Strawberry Syrup


Put all ingredients in a blender and blend.  It should be more on the thick side, not runny.

Makes one 8 oz serving.


You can substitute using Hershey's Chocolate Syrup if preferred.   .... New Cook On The Block

Simple Chili

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour

1 pound hamburger
1/4 small onion, chopped
2 tsps chili powder
2 cans tomato sauce
2 cans chili beans
1/2 cup water
dash salt
dash pepper

In a sauce pan cook ground hamburger and onions.  Add salt and pepper.

When the hamburger is thoroughly cooked drain off fat.

Add the tomato sauce, chili beans and water into the sauce pan with the hamburger and stir.

Simmer over low heat for one hour.  Cover to reduce splattering.

Makes 6 soup bowl size servings.


We don't like our chili very spicy so more chili powder can be added to taste.  I also rinse out the pan before I add the drained hamburger back in to get rid of excess grease.  Sometimes I even rinse the cooked hamburger in the strainer before I add it back in.  That's a good idea if you're trying to be heart healthy.  And it doesn't affect the taste that I can tell.  This is one dish I can make fairly well.  There's not much I can do to destroy chili, ha.   .... New Cook On The Block

Pork Loin Roast

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1/1/2 hours


 2 pound pork loin roast
Greek Seasoning
1 tbsp flour
1/4 cup water
1 cooking bag

Sprinkle or rub Cavender's All Purpose Greek Seasoning all over the roast.

Put 1 tbsp of flour into a Reynold's Cooking Bag and shake.  Add the water.

Place the roast inside the bag and lay in a 9x9 casserole dish.

Cut small slits in bag to release steam while cooking.

Put the tie on the bag and cut off any excess bag if the bag is too large.

Bake in oven at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until thermometer reaches 170 degrees.

Serves 4.

This was my first attempt at making a pork roast.  It tasted fine and I really liked the Greek seasoning although it wasn't seasoned all the way through the roast.  Not sure yet how to make that happen.  All in all it wasn't a bad first attempt.  The recipe is fine, I'm sure.  I remember my Mom made it this way once when she came to visit.  I would just have preferred it to be a little more seasoned.  My husband ate it so I guess that is a good sign that he thought it was good.   .... New Cook On The Block

Dry vs Wet Measuring Cups

What is the difference between dry and wet measuring cups?

I have always wondered what the difference is between a dry and a wet measuring cup.  Here's what I found on the web.

You can use a dry cup to measure liquid but it may not be accurate because you fill the cup to the very brim and that will cause some liquid to spill out when you move the cup and you won't have an accurate amount.  Also, it would be very hard to pour since there is no spout.

You cannot use a liquid cup to measure dry ingredients.  The reason is you have to  'eye' through the glass to see how much you put in it and if you tap the glass to level it out you compact the ingredient and might end up with more volume than what the recipe calls for.

So for dry ingredients use a dry measuring cup.  Fill it to the top and level it with a knife and you will have the correct amount the recipe calls for.

For liquid ingredients use the wet measuring cup and you will be able to pour it without spilling.  You will also be able to measure in ounces if needed.

Some sites recommended using a scale to weigh dry ingredients but that sounds way too complicated to me.  The scale would be used mostly if you are baking.

Apple Salad

Prep Time:  20 minutes


5 apples unpeeled
3 celery stalks
1/2 cup Nut Topping (chopped peanuts & pecans)
3/4 or 1 cup Miracle Whip

Core the apple and chop it into little squares.
Dice the celery in little pieces.
Put the apple and celery pieces into a large bowl.
Add the nuts.
Stir in the Miracle Whip.  

Immediately store in the refrigerator for one hour before serving.

Makes 8-10 servings.


I use my Vidalia Chop Wizard to chop the celery and apples.  I use the little grid for the celery and the larger one for the apples.  Makes chopping a whiz.  You can also use whole pecans chopped up but I find the little bag of nut topping you get in the baking section at the grocery store works just as well and it is cheaper than whole walnuts.  The amount of Miracle Whip you use is up to you.  Just make sure all ingredients are covered.   .... New Cook On The Block

French Toast

Prep Time:  5 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

2 eggs

3 slices white bread

2 tablespoons water

Heat pan with a little bit of Crisco.  

Whip the eggs and water.

Dip the bread in the egg mixture coating both sides.

Fry in hot pan until brown on both sides.

Serve with butter, syrup or jelly.

Makes one serving.

Okay.  I know what you're thinking.  First I use water instead of milk.  We are lactose intolerant so we rarely have milk on hand.  To me the water works just fine.  I was told once to use one tablespoon of liquid for each egg.  Hence, the two tablespoons of water.

Second, you're thinking Crisco?  I like it better than butter.  The bread cooks evener and I like my French Toast crispy.  Now my husband likes his smashed!  But then everything has to be smashed for him, hamburger, eggs, anything that can be smashed with a spatula, ha.

So this is how I do French Toast.  I think it came out pretty nice and tasted good, too!   .... New Cook On The Block

Cheese Topped Hamburger and Potato Casserole

Prep Time:  15 minutes
Cook Time:  1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 large baking potatoes cubed
1/2 pound ground hamburger
1 can condensed mushroom soup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup chopped onion
Celery seed
Salt
Pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese

In a sauce pan cook the ground hamburger and onions until done.  Sprinkle salt and pepper into the mixture.

Grease a 9x9 inch casserole dish.

Combine the hamburger mix and the cubed potatoes.  Add the mushroom soup and water.  Sprinkle in the celery seed.  Mix and pour into the casserole dish.

Bake covered at 350 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes.  Take off cover and sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the top and bake another 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Makes 4 servings.

I use my Vidalia Chop Wizard to cube my potatoes.  I love it.  I just put the potato on the grate and push the lid down and I have cubed potatoes.  I also use foil to loosely cover my pan then I can reuse it to cover the dish when I put it in the refigerator.  Sometimes I make this dish without the cheese as my  hubby isn't fond of the cheese on top but I like it better that way.   .... New Cook On The Block