Best of Bran Muffins

 3 cups shredded bran cereal(All Bran)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup raisins 

1 cup boiling water

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup molasses

2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

4 teaspoons sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1. In a large bowl, combine the cereal, oil and raisins, and pour the boiling water over them. Set the mixture aside to cool slightly.

2. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk and molasses. Add this to the partly cooled cereal mixture.

3. In another small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients. Cover the batter with plastic wrap, wax paper, or a damp towel, and let it stand for at least 15 minutes, preferably an hour.

4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease 24 muffin cups, and divide the batter among them, filling each cup about three fourths full. Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the muffins from the oven, and when they are slightly  cooled, take them out of the tin and place them on a rack to cool completely.

Jane Brody's Good Food Book. This recipe has become my go to bran muffin choice. You can substitute any dried fruit for the raisins. You can add a few nuts in if you wish. You can half the fat and add in a replacement such as  a tablespoon of chia seeds softened in 1/4 cup of water or applesauce.

Corinne's Brownies

 4 eggs, well beaten

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup melted margarine or butter

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup cocoa

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped nuts

1/2 lb. Hershey bar

Mix the eggs, sugar and butter together. 

Add the flour, cocoa, salt and vanilla.

Mix well. 

Add chopped nuts. 

Spread batter in greased 9x13 pan.

Bake at 350 for 25 -30 minutes. Frost with chocolate broken into small pieces and placed on the brownies as soon as they get out of the oven. Spread over entire top. Cut into squares when cooled.

One of Barb's favorites. Original recipe came from Mrs. Kipp, our neighbor on Kildare Avenue in Chicago. Never did know who Corinne is!

Aunt Betty's Sloppy Joes

 1 lb. ground beef

1c. chopped peppers

1c. chopped onions

1T. sugar

1T. prepared mustard

1T. vinegar

1/2 t. salt

1 c. ketchup

Brown meat until crumbly and cooked through. Drain the grease. Add the remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes. Serve on buns.

You can make variations on the recipe. If you don't like peppers than don't use them. If you like less onion don't put in a whole cup. I don't put in the extra tablespoon of sugar because I think the ketchup is plenty sweet already.

Seasoned with Love St. Cletus Parish Cookbook 1988

Baked Beans Weber Style

 1 can (31 oz.) pork and beans with tomato sauce

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 small onion finely chopped

1/4 cup catsup

1 t. yellow mustard

1/2 t. salt

Dash of pepper

3 slices bacon, cut in quarters

Combine and mix first 8 ingredients; pour into casserole. Cover beans with bacon pieces. Center casserole on cooking grill' cover kettle and heat about 45 minutes or until piping hot. Yield 4-6 servings.

This is from the Weber cookbook Barbecuing the Weber Covered Way Copyright 1979 and 1972 by Tested Recipe Publishers, Inc.

I use these basic proportions and add or subtract ingredients depending on my audience. I also cook them down on the top of the stove the day before. I usually don't add bacon because I don't have it around.  I've also added an extra can of straight up beans that have been drained to make it thicker and less runny. Cooking it down thickens up the sauce and mellows the onion. 

Classic Macaroni and Cheese

 1/2 package Creamette  elbows(8oz)

3T. butter

3T.flour

2 1/2 c. milk

1/2 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

1/4 c. onion minced

2 c. (8oz) shredded cheese

1/2 c. bread crumbs

1. Cook pasta. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour. Gradually stir in milk.

3. Cook stirring constantly over medium heat until sauce thickens. Stir in salt and pepper. 

4. Add onion and cheese. Stir until melted and distributed throughout the sauce.

5. Add noodles. Spoon into 2 quart baking dish.

6. Top with bread crumbs. Bake 30 minutes

Makes 4-6 servings

Recipe off of the side of the box of CREAMETTE noodles.

Here are some of my tricks. Sometimes I use 10 ounces of noodles. 

For the cheese I like to add different types. Last time I used 4 ounces of reduced Colby Jcck, 2 oz. mozzarella and 2 oz. shredded gruyere. That was a hit.

Sometimes I add extra an extra bit of flour and butter and milk. Last time I used 1/4 c. flour and 1/4 c. butter. I softened the onion in the butter before adding the flour and milk.

The basic recipe is great but sometimes you want to tweak it because you are stretching it for a crowd. That's when you can just add more noodles to the sauce. Don't go too far off the recipe or it might get less good and cheesy. 

Marinated Portobello Mushroom Burgers

 

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp soy sauce $0.12
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar $0.03
  

        1 tsp brown sugar $0.02

• 1/4 tsp oregano $0.02
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder $0.02
• 1/4 tsp onion powder $0.02
• 1 tsp smoked paprika $0.10
• 2 Tbsp olive oil $0.08
• 2 portobello mushroom caps (about 1/2 lb. total) $2.94
• 2 buns $0.83
• 
  
• Instructions
• • In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and a little freshly cracked pepper (about 10 cranks of a pepper mill).
  • Remove the stems from the portobello mushrooms.* Place the mushrooms in a shallow dish, gill sides up. Pour some of the marinade into the gills, then flip the mushrooms and pour the rest over the top. Let the mushrooms marinate for 30 minutes, flipping occasionally.
  • Heat a grill or grill pan over medium to medium-high heat. Once hot, add the marinated portobello mushrooms and cook for about 7 minutes on each side, or until the mushrooms are soft and have released most of their liquid.
  • Build your marinated portobello mushroom burgers on a bun with your preferred toppings. I love the classic mix of mayonnaise, sliced tomato, onion rings, and lettuce or spring mix.

Heavenly Honey Oatmeal Bread

 1 cup quick oats

2 cups boiling water

1 pkg. active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (105-115)

1/3 cup honey

1 T. butter or oil

2 t. salt

5 1/2 cups flour, all purpose

1. Place oats in large bowl. Pour boiling water over oats. Let sit 15 min. or until lukewarm. (105-115)

2. Proof yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Add smidge of sugar to help activate the yeast. Let stand until bubbly about 5 minutes

3. Add honey, butter, salt and yeast mix to the oats. Mix well. Stir in enough flour so dough can be handled. (The oats and honey make this a stickier dough than regular bread dough.)

4. Knead for two minutes. Let rest for ten minutes. Knead again adding more flour as needed. Let dough rise.  Punch down, form into two loaves. Let rise again until high. 

5. Bake at 350 around 45 minutes. Quick temp should be around 200.

St. Bede Abbey, Father Dom