A Comforting Evening

We all enjoyed some Comfort Food at our last Cooking Club meeting.  Wendy agreed to host at the last minute and her housekeeping skills astounded us all.

We talked about how to boil a whole chicken, the difference between chicken stock and chicken broth, the virtues of Betty Crocker brownies, the best stroller to get for your first baby, the stupidest stroller to get for your first baby, the HBO series "No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency," what boys are thinking, The Hunger Games, and more.  Wishing you had been there?  Join us next month!

Look at those empty plates and comforted bellies!  (And annoyed faces that someone is taking their picture while they're pregnant.  (Not Shauna.  Shauna is not pregnant.  Please don't think Shauna is pregnant.  She's clearly not.))

Emerald Rice

Submitted by Laura Hintze

Ingredients


• 3 C. cooked rice

• 10-oz. pkg. spinach, thawed and squeezed

• 1 C. cheddar cheese, grated

• 1 C. onion, chopped

• 1 Tab. butter

• 2 tsp. salt

Instructions

Combine all ingredients. Cover and bake 25-35 minutes at 350 degrees or until heated.

Banana Bread

Banana Bread

Submitted by Amy White
This banana bread was a special treat Amy enjoyed every time she went to visit her grandma.  (Also, she had ripe bananas to get rid of.)

1 1/2 C Sugar

2 Eggs

2 C Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 C Nuts

1/2 Cup Oil

3-4 Large Very Ripe Bananas

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Vanilla



Mix all ingredients and bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Do not over bake. Makes 2 Medium size loaf pans. You can check with a knife to see if it is done.

Mom's Beef Stroganoff

Submitted by Lea McEwan

This was Lea's favorite dish that her mother made when she was growing up. 

1 package ground beef

1 onion chopped

Crushed garlic – 1 TBS….approx

3-4 TBS flour

3 cups milk

Sour cream

Cooked rice or noodles



Brown hamburger and onions, add garlic. Strain the meat then add flour and milk. Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer until desired consistency. Add sour cream, salt and pepper to taste, put over rice or noodles.

Ooey Gooey Brownies (AKA Totally Healthy Brownies)

Submitted by Wendy Holt

You can make this as difficult or as easy as you want.  If you have a homemade brownie recipe that you love you can use that or you can do it my way.


1 brownie mix (I used Aldi not Betty Crocker*)

1 jar of marshmallow fluff

1 can of frosting


Bake Brownies according to package. (I find it easier to do a 13X9 pan and have thinner brownies since you have toppings.

Spread marshmallow fluff when brownies are somewhat cool

Spread frosting on to of marshmallow fluff.



Enjoy



I normally make my own frosting for these but I didn't have time last night here is my recipe for that:



Chocolate Frosting

6 tbls butter (melted)

1/2 cup of baking cocoa

2 2/3 cup of powdered sugar

1/3 cup of milk

1 tsp vanilla



Mix butter and cocoa. Alternate adding sugar and milk beat to spreading consisting (additional milk may be needed). Blend in vanilla.

* The opinions expressed in this recipe are not necessarily those of Cooking in the Groves.

German Pancakes with Apple Cider Syrup

Submitted by Shauna Hinckley

Shauna's dad used to make breakfast for dinner occasionally and these German Pancakes were a favorite of hers growing up.

German Pancakes

4-6 T. butter

6 eggs

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

1 tsp. salt


Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter in a 13x9 inch glass pan in the preheating oven.

Blend eggs, flour, milk, and salt in a blender. When the butter is melted, pour in the egg mixture.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until puffy and golden brown.

Serve with syrup, jelly, applesauce, or powdered sugar.


In order to feed my family, I make a 1 ½ recipe (9 eggs, 1 ½ cups flour & milk…) and it still fits fine in a 13x9.


Apple Cider Syrup



1/2 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup apple cider

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons butter



Stir together the sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a saucepan. Stir in the apple cider and lemon juice.

Cook over medium heat until mixture begins to boil; boil until the syrup thickens.

Remove from heat and stir in the 2 tablespoons of butter until melted. Serve warm.

Buttermilk Pie

Submitted by Melissa Maxwell

I was hesitant to try this pie the first time, but I can assure you that it is life-changing.  I've tried other Buttermilk Pie recipes and this is definitely my favorite.


2 T. flour

1 3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter, melted

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup buttermilk

2 tsp. vanilla



Mix together butter and sugar until creamed. Add flour and salt, mix again. Add eggs, mix well. Add vanilla and buttermilk last, mix. Pour into 9 inch pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-60 minutes (until brown on top).
 
Cool completely and serve with whippped cream and raspberries.

Nana's Chicken Pie

Submitted by Melissa Maxwell

I love pie!  Any kind, really.  (Except Mincemeat.)  This recipe is from my sister’s husband’s mother’s mother. It's one of those recipes that has been handed down for generations.  You must use her Never Fail Pie Crust for it to be just right. Chicken breasts will work in place of whole chicken, but the whole chicken is more flavorful.  *Please note that this is a Chicken Pie, not a Chicken Pot Pie.  Don't try to add vegetables to this.  Have them on the side.  Love the pie for what it is.


1 chicken (stewing hen)

2 pie crusts

1 ½ c. chicken broth

1 T. flour

4 pats of butter

salt and black pepper


Cook chicken in salted boiling water until done. Remove meat from bones, cutting into small pieces.

Mix white and dark meat. Line pie plate with bottom crust and add 3 cups chicken, broth, and flour. Top with 4 pats of butter, dash of salt, and plenty of black pepper. Moisten edge of bottom crust and top with 2nd crust, pressing edges together. Cut slits in top crust, then sprinkle generously with butter and flour that have been worked together.

Bake at 350 for 65 minutes.


Never Fail Pie Crust

Makes 2 pie crusts.


3 c. plain flour

1 ¼ c. shortening

1 tsp. salt

1 egg, well beaten

5 T. water

1 T. vinegar

Mix first three ingredients, cutting shortening in with pastry blender. Mix last three ingredients, stir into dry mixture. Mold into a ball. Roll out 2 crusts.