Cowgirls in the Kitchen

Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Karen Witemeyer

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With Thanksgiving coming around the corner, I thought I’d share one of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes–Candied Yams. This is a tradition handed down from my grandma to my mom to me. They aren’t exactly quick, but there are only three ingredients, so they are pretty easy, and absolutely delicious!

Candied Yams

candied yams
Unfortunately, I don’t have a picture of my mom’s yams, but this one came the closest. They won’t be syrupy, though. Just buttery and candied around the edges.
  • 5 large red garnet yams
  • brown sugar
  • 2 sticks butter, melted

(Red Garnet Yams taste better than sweet potatoes, in my opinion, but if you can’t find them, sweet potatoes will work just fine.)

Wrap yams in foil (poke a few vent holes with a short knife in each) and bake in a 400 degree oven until soft (about 1 to 1 1/2 hours). Let cool.

Unwrap yams, remove skin, and slice lengthwise into thin, oblong strips about 1/4 inch thick. Lay flat in a shallow baking dish (jelly roll pans work great), fitting them close together so almost no pan is visible. You will probably need at least 2 pans. Sprinkle generously with brown sugar. Drizzle (or spoon) melted butter over the yams until all the sugar is moistened. Bake in a 400 degree oven again until yams get dark (sticky and candied) around edges (usually 45-60 minutes).

Use a metal spatula to remove yams. Serve in a shallow dish.

Old-fashioned. Simple. And delicious!

What is your favorite potato dish?

Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Shanna Hatfield

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 Back in June, we had company coming. Friends I’d made online, but had yet to meet in person.

So, of course, I decided I wanted to make several thing I’d never made before, like a corn salad. I browsed through dozens of recipes but couldn’t find one I liked. I ended up making my own recipes.

Turns out, that was a tasty decision!

Corn Salad

INGREDIENTS

2 large ears fresh corn

4 strips bacon

1/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon chopped parsley

1/4 cup Olive Garden Italian Dressing

salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.  Cook bacon 15-20 minutes until crisp and browned. Remove from oven and transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain grease. When cool enough to touch, dab away grease and crumble into small pieces. Reserve a tablespoon of bacon grease from the pan.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Shuck corn and remove silk strands. Add corn to boiling water. Cover and cook about five minutes. Remove from heat, drain hot water, and immerse in cold water to stop cooking process.

Pat cobs dry and use a sharp knife to cut the kernels off the cobs. (I’ve found it’s easiest to hold cobs at an angle to remove kernels. My mom had one of those handy-dandy tools you set over the top of a cob on a cutting board, pushed it down, and it removed all the kernels lickety-split.)

Place corn kernels and bacon in a mixing or serving bowl. Drizzle with the bacon grease (just trust me on this!). Add Parmesan cheese, parsley, and salad dressing. Season with salt. Stir to combine ingredients, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. It gives the flavors time to blend. When ready to serve, sprinkle more Parmesan cheese and parsley on top of the bowl (optional).

NOTES: If you are in a hurry, you can use frozen corn instead of fresh, and substitute bacon bits for just-cooked bacon. You can also use dried parsley instead of fresh. If you can’t find Olive Garden Italian Dressing, make your own with this copycat recipe.

Yield: Approximately 4 servings

Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Cathy McDavid

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My daughter recently sent me a picture of her in her garden. She’s very excited about the zucchini which are nearly ready to be picked and asked me what she can do with such a bountiful harvest. I told her to make zucchini bread (which can be frozen). As she loves to bake, this sounded like a great suggestion to her.

Just for fun, here’s a simple recipe. Here’s a helpful hint: shred the zucchini ahead of time and squeeze out the extra moisture with paper towels.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tablespoons apple juice, orange juice, milk, water, or the liquid of your choice
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, optional
  • 1-3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
  • 2 cups grated or shredded zucchini, medium packed
  • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 3/4 cup golden raisins or currants
  • Optional 2 tablespoons light brown sugar for sprinkling on top

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ loaf pan.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the brown sugar, liquid of choice, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
  3. Whisk the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into the flour, then add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients in the bowl, stirring or beating gently until smooth.
  4. Stir in the zucchini, walnuts, and raisins or currants.
  5. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it if necessary. Sprinkle with brown sugar.
  6. Bake the bread for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The top (just under the crust) may seem a bit sticky; but so long as the toothpick doesn’t reveal wet batter, it’s done.
  7. Remove the bread from the oven and cool it in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool completely. For best results, don’t slice until it’s cool.
  8. Store the bread at cool room temperature, well wrapped, for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Well, now I’m going to have to go out and buy some zucchini and make bread, which I love. Or book a ticket to visit my daughter. Maybe I can do both! Hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy!

 

 

 

Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Mary Connealy

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This was always a family favorite.

I’d make it and always imagine it was what cowboys ate sitting around a campfire at the end of a long day of a cattle drive.

I usually called it GRUB

MY ONLY ADVICE on this ten minute recipe…most of that ten minutes is browning the hamburger…is it’s a BIG recipe.

As the children grew up and moved out, I started leaving out the beans one can at a time. In recent years we just use one can of baked beans.

Three Bean Hamburger Casserole

AKA Grub

1 lb. hamburger (browned)

1 can pork & beans

1 can butter beans

1 can kidney beans

I skip the extra beans most of the time and just use pork & beans. Otherwise the recipe is too big. Add:

½ C. brown sugar

½ C. catsup

1 T. mustard

Heat thoroughly, serve.

That’s it. Spend the time while the hamburger is browning opening the cans, then dump it all in and heat it up. DONE!!

Chasing the Horizon

Her only chance at freedom waits across the horizon

Upon uncovering her tyrannical father’s malevolent plot to commit her to an asylum, Beth Rutledge fabricates a plan of her own. She will rescue her mother, who had already been sent to the asylum, and escape together on a wagon train heading west. Posing as sisters, Beth and her mother travel with the pioneers in hopes of making it to Idaho before the others start asking too many questions.Wagon-train scout Jake Holt senses that the mysterious women in his caravan are running from something. When rumors begin to spread of Pinkerton agents searching relentlessly for wanted criminals who match the description of those on his wagon train, including Beth, she begins to open up to him, and he learns something more sinister is at hand.
Can they risk trusting each other with their lives–and their hearts–when danger threatens their every step?

Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Jeannie Watt

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Today I’m going to give you a recipe for one of my favorite flour-free, five-ingredient cookies. In the early 1970s my mom, who is a fantastic baker, was diagnosed with a wheat allergy. Ironically, we lived in wheat country—wheat fields to the doorstep. At that time, alternative flours were rare. We had pea flour (makes really bad cookies), corn flour (really grainy cookies) and not much else in the grocery stores in Moscow, Idaho. We focused on candy after her diagnosis, but every now and again we’d find a recipe for cookies that didn’t call for flour. These cookies are delicate, but delicious. Here’s the recipe:

Flour-free Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup creamy peanut butter (you can use chunky if you want)

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Chocolate chips are optional

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix the peanut butter and sugar. Add the egg, salt and vanilla. That’s it. You’re done, unless you want to add chocolate chips. I just wing that.

I put parchment paper on the cookie sheets, then form 1 tablespoon size balls and place them a couple inches apart. Use a fork to crisscross the cookies.

Bake for 10 minutes–no longer. You do not want to overbake. Let them cool completely on a rack before trying to handle them.

If you want, you can melt chocolate chips and frost the cookies, or just eat them as they are.

Pictured below are three varieties: chocolate chip peanut butter, chocolate frosted peanut butter and plain peanut butter.

Again, these are delicate, but delicious. I hope you try them. They’d be perfect to make with kids and grandkids.

Enjoy!

Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Jo-Ann Roberts

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As my parents got older, it became more difficult to buy them gifts for holidays and birthdays. My mother always said as she aged, “my needs are few and my wants are fewer.” But when I hit upon an idea to give them homemade candies instead of another tie or a nightgown, their delight was clearly evident…especially my father. He loved candy and popcorn, keeping a stash in an octagonal side table between the easy chairs in the living room. So, when I came across this recipe, I knew it would be a huge hit. For more years than I care to divulge in this post, I’ve made this treat for family and friends. And now, from my kitchen to yours, here’s Butterscotch Popcorn Crunchies.

                                     Butterscotch Popcorn Crunchies

Ingredients:

  • 1 12-ounce package (2 cups) Toll House butterscotch flavored morsels

  • 1 cup light corn syrup

  • 1/4 cup butter

  • 12 cups popped popcorn

  • 1 12-ounce can salted nuts

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

  2. In a heavy saucepan, combine butterscotch morsels, corn syrup, and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture boils.

  3. Place popcorn and nuts in a large greased roasting pan. Pour butterscotch mixture over popcorn, toss to coat well.

  4. Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring frequently.

  5. Remove from oven; stir every 10 minutes until slightly cooled. Cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Kit Morgan

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Ever heard of Corn Flake Chicken? Of course you have. But if you haven’t (and even if you have) this scrumpcious dish is fun to play with because there are so many different variations on a theme.

My sister in law Kathy first introduced me to Corn Flake Chicken with her rendition of the recipe. Of course one needs a box of Corn Flakes, then the rest is up to you. Kathy’s version is made with corn flakes, parmesan cheese and a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing and some melted butter. That’s it.

  1. Chicken Tenders or chicken breasts cut into tenders
  2. Corn Flakes (crushed)
  3. Parmesan Cheese
  4. 1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing Mix
  5. Melted butter

Crush the cornflakes (you can either put them in a large ziplock back and run a rolling pin over them or crush them by hand. You don’t want to crush them into oblivion) then add a few tablespoons of parmesan cheese. You can add more or less depending on how much you want. Then add in a teaspoon or so of the Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix.  This is also to taste. If you toss in the whole packet, it might be too salty for some. You can also add some pepper. Mix well.

Dip chicken into melted butter, then coat with corn flake mixture. Place in a 9×13 baking dish. (I always spray with Pam or canola oil. For a different taste, grease the pan with coconut oil. Bake at 400 degrees about 20-25 minutes. Could be longer if you cut your chicken pieces thicker.

Making oven baked corn flake crumbs chicken nuggets. Series.

That’s it… no, wait! That’s not it! You can do more with this recipe. Instead of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix, I love to use Capitol Hill. It’s a wonderful blend of sea salt and pepper, shallots, and herbs. It’s great on poultry, seafood, eggs, roasted veggies, potatoes, rice and I could go on, but suffice to say, it’s my go to seasoning. Alter the recipe by coating the chicken pieces in Best Food Mayonnaise. Yep, you read that right. Mayonnaise. Use the Capitol Hill Seasoning (about a teaspoon or so) in the corn flake mix and follow the rest of the recipe above. I like this version best. The mayonnaise makes the chicken turn out really tender.

You can make all sorts of variations of your corn flake mix. It’s fun to experiment with. Other recipes have you coating the chicken in an egg and milk mixture which works as well, but the butter and mayo are my go to.

You can find Capitol Hill Seasoning at Savory Spice

Enjoy!

 

Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Cheryl Pierson

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Well, it’s my turn in the kitchen, and my rule is “THE EASIER THE BETTER!” (As long as it’s also delicious, of course!

I think I might have found a perfect recipe for what is sure to become a “Fall Favorite” at my house. I bought all the stuff to make this and I’m going to try it next week.

I found this recipe on a site called MAMA’S COOKING, and I know my mama would have really loved this! It’s called FALL DUMP CAKE–and I don’t think anything could be any easier than this. Take a look…

 

 

FALL DUMP CAKE
Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
Yield: 12 servings

Here’s what they say about this wonderful dessert:

Ah, fall is in the air… can’t you smell it? Yes, we do mean smell and you’ll understand why here in a
minute! Load up your slow cooker with this Fall Dump Cake for the easiest, sweetest, autumn-flared
scents to circulate your surroundings for hours. Not only does it smell like all your fall fantasies, but
the way the syrupy apple filling blends so nicely with the crumbly, cinnamon-coated cake will have you
dancing around like a leaf on a windy day. Your senses will totally fall for Fall Dump Cake! ‘Tis the
season!

ALL RIGHTY THEN! If it delivers as described, this is one I’ll be making over and over again!

Ingredients
2 (20-ounce) cans apple pie filling
1 (15.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
whipped topping, to taste, for topping

Directions
Step 1
In a slow cooker, add the apple pie filling.
Step 2
Evenly sprinkle the cake mix over the filling, then dot it all over with the butter cubes.
Step 3
Sprinkle the cinnamon over the apple mixture.
Step 4
Cover the slow cooker and cook on high heat until the filling is bubbly and the top is golden-brown,
about 2 hours.
Step 5
Serve the dump cake with the whipped topping.

If you do make it, I would love to hear how you and your family enjoyed it. I know my husband Gary will love it because he is an “apple” kind of guy, but I’m wondering if you could use peaches rather than apple if you preferred it? Or maybe even cherry? Lots of room for experimenting, I’m thinking!

Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Julie Benson

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I’ve always loved cooking shows. When my oldest was a toddler I’d watch Jacque Peppin on PBS, followed by Great Chefs of the West. My son loved the music show so much, he’d stand in front of the TV and dance. Even now thirty-two years later, I can still close my eyes and see him bouncing to the theme.

As I started writing this, I realized how long the list of series I’ve enjoyed over the years is. Cupcake Wars or any holiday season war. The Next Food Network Star. Top Chef. Chopped. (You know that one. Where they give you a basket of ingredients such as mushrooms, some kind of cheese, sausage, and marshmallow fluff and tell you to make an appetizer. ?) Beat Bobby Flay. (We got our favorite spaghetti and meatballs recipe from an episode of that show.) But I think our favorite has to be Iron Chefs America. My youngest son who often cooked with me, would pretend we were on an episode. He would choose the “secret ingredient” and we would joke about how we were incorporating it into our dish.

When we fillies came up with the idea to do Cowgirls in the Kitchen, sharing recipes with four or less ingredients, I was a bit concerned. It’s not that I don’t have wonderful recipes. I do, but ones with four or less ingredients? Ah, no. So, I did what I always do. I wandered around the house in a panic, talking to any family members who would listen and the dogs who always listen on how I had no idea what to do.

Thankfully my youngest son shared this recipe with me, Cacio e Pepe, which means cheese and pepper. made with ingredients most people have on hand. I hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients:

8 oz spaghetti

2 Tbsp butter

½ C grated parmesan cheese

½ tsp cracked pepper

Directions:

Bring salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain pasta, but reserve 2/3 C pasta water.

Return pasta to the pot, add butter and pasta water. Cook over low heat until butter is melted. Add grated cheese and pepper. Toss until cheese melts and a creamy sauce forms.

Top with more grated cheese before serving.

We added grilled chicken, a dark green salad and garlic break to round out the meal.

 

 

 

 

Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Kit Morgan

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Okay, so I’m one of those people that never measures, and tosses everything together and it works. So trying to figure out exact measurements isn’t easy. But here goes. This is the dish everyone wants me to bring to potlucks, family dinners, taco Tuesdays and so on. My famous Spanish Rice! I’m going to give the single batch version. Serves 6? I’m used to making double and triple batches so I’m having to pare it down. And that’s not a picture of my rice. I couldn’t find one on my phone (yes, my family is always taking pictures of food)  so had to find something similar. At any rate, it’s a colorful and festive looking dish!

1 cup jasmine or other long grain rice
1 3/4 cups water
1/2 cup Salsa. I use Salsa Suprema, and sometimes a cilantro salsa. For something different, I’ve also used pineapple salsa. Heat level is up to you but I usually stick with medium
1 1/2 teaspoons chicken bullion
1/2 medium onion chopped
1/2 red pepper chopped
1/2 yellow pepper chopped
1 bunch green onions chopped
1 small or medium sized can of sliced olives (depending on how much you want in there.
2 tablespoons butter

Melt the butter in a frying pan at medium low to medium heat. Add rice and fry, stirring frequently for a few minutes. Add chopped onion (not the green onion) and fry another couple of minutes. Stir in water and salsa. Add chicken bullion and stir. Bring to boil then cover and reduce heat to low. While the rice is steaming, chop up peppers and green onions if you haven’t already, put in a bowl with the olives and mix well. Set aside.
Steam the rice about twenty five minutes and check. If the rice is done, then add the chopped veggie/olive mixture. You can either spread it over the top and re-cover the pan for another ten minutes, or mix the veggie/olive mix into the rice and then recover. I’ve done both. The goal is not to let the veggies cook all the way through. You want them just tender. You can leave the pan on low heat for a few minutes, then shut off your burner. The peppers and green onions will steam fine with the cover on. If you’ve chosen to put the veggie/olive mixture on top to steam, then mix before serving.

That’s it! The famous Spanish Rice recipe!