Recipes – Page 14 – Thimbleanna

Airplanes and Aebleskivers

39 Comments / February 2, 2008 February 18, 2011 / Recipes, Travel

It’s been another exciting day on the travel front, and well, I’m going to bore you with my little story because 1) it’s my blog, and 2) your reward will be the second part of this post. I started my day with pretty low expectations of getting home tonight because of all the storms in the midwest and on the east coast. Things went pretty well and we were only 1 1/2 hours behind schedule when they boarded the plane (not bad considering all the cancellations and delays on the schedule.) AFTER the FULL plane got all settled in, the stewardess flight attendant announced that oh, gee, one of the crew was over the maximum hour limit for working that day. Oh. Come. On. Could they have told us about that BEFORE we went through that big loading hassle? We sat on the plane another 20 minutes while they talked to “operations” to get another crew and then they finally just canceled the flight. Personally, I think it was planned all along and they just didn’t want so many passengers milling about in the terminal. Hey. Here’s a plane over here. Let’s just put all those people in there for an hour and clean up the terminal congestion a little! Ah well, I’m safe, warm, and dry and I’ll be going home tomorrow, so it could be a whole lot worse.

So, now for the aebleskivers part of this post. When I was a little girl, we went to my aunt’s house one year and she served us aebleskivers, or danish pancakes. (Or could they be swedish? Maybe norwegian? Our ancestors were danish, so I’ve always assumed they’re danish.) We loved them and we’ve been making them ever since. A few years ago we made an interesting discovery though. My side of the family remembers having them with butter and syrup. My aunt and my cousins all insist that they’ve never had them with butter and syrup, but ALWAYS with butter and jam. Our side has never had them with jam. But we ate them all together at least once, and maybe twice. So, which side of the family has alzheimer’s, hmmmm???? (Since this is my blog and my story, I’m sure you know the correct answer to that question.) All I know is butter and syrup are THE only way to go! You’ll need an aebleskiver pan for this recipe.

Aunt Annie’s Aebleskivers

3 eggs
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. milk
2 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder

Separate eggs and beat egg whites until stiff. In separate bowl, mix all other ingredients. Fold egg whites in very lightly.

Put just a bit of crisco or vegetable oil in each pocket of the aebleskiver pan. Then fill each pocket about 2/3 full of batter. Keep heat on low as they burn easily. When dough bubbles, gently turn each aebleskiver over with a fork, or, to keep this post crafty related, a knitting needle has always worked well.

The uncooked dough will pour out as you turn the aebleskiver and it will make a ball of dough. Cook until the bottom is browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Serve your aebleskivers with butter and SYRUP if you want to have them the way we had them at my aunt’s house when I was a little girl!

So. What’s on YOUR aebleskiver???

XOXO,
Anna

Happy New Year!

19 Comments / January 2, 2008 February 18, 2011 / Holidays, Recipes

I hope you all had a wonderful New Year’s celebration! We had a fun time at MeMum and BigDaddy’s house last night ringing in the new year. MyDadLovesMeBestSister got a new fondue pot for Christmas, so we got our fondue pots out and had one with oil for meats, one with a cheese dip for veggies and bread, and a YUMMY pot full of chocolate with lots of fruit dippers. We pigged out with lots of other appetizers, played games, watched fireworks down the street and had a grand time!
Then today, everyone came to our house for our traditional New Year’s Day dinner. We always have what to some people is their traditional Christmas dinner — standing rib roast, twice baked potatoes, green beans, and 24-hour salad. Some years, if we’re feeling superstitious, we’ll have black-eyed peas, but we weren’t motivated enough this year. I sure hope that’s not a bad omen LOL!

Many years ago, MeMum found the perfect standing rib roast recipe. It’s fool-proof. No thermometers and no waiting around when everything else is ready, trying to figure out if the roast is done. I hate making beef tenderloins because I can’t ever figure out when they’re done (I’ve only ever done two of them), but I never have that problem with this standing rib recipe!

Easy Peasy Standing Rib Roast

Bring roast to room temperature 1 hour before cooking. At noon, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season roast with salt and pepper. Put uncovered roast in preheated oven. After one hour, turn off the oven and do not open oven door. (I put tape over the door handle with a big “Do Not Open” sign to remind everyone!) Approximately an hour before serving, turn the oven on again to 375 degrees. Remove the roast from the oven after 45 minutes and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving. This method seems to work for any size roast, but it’s ideal for 3 – 4 ribs. We usually make a 5 – 6 rib roast (love those leftovers!) and it’s pretty rare in the middle, but that’s ok for us as we have a few family members who love rare roast.

Well, now all the fun’s over and tomorrow it’s time to take down the decorations and clean house. Ugh. I hate that job — it usually takes me 2 days ’cause I’m easily sidetracked. Hopefully, your decorations are all cleaned up and you can play for a few days!
XOXO,
Anna

Gingerbread Houses, Part 1

19 Comments / December 17, 2007 December 29, 2011 / Gingerbread Houses, Holidays, Recipes

I’m quickly being sucked up by the red and green vortex that is Christmas. Things are spinning faster as the bottom of the drain approaches, and I’m realizing that everything’s not going to get done. I’ve put the good enough stamp on the decorating, the baking will be this weekend and I suspect there will be some late nights wrapping and sewing. I’m in New Jersey tonight for work — until Thursday. Santa gave me an early gift this morning — my flight from O’Hare to Newark was canceled, so I was stuck (oh boohoo!) in O’Hare, with no interruptions, sewing for several hours. I told MeMum yesterday I was hoping for a little delay, and I got my wish! Did you know there are times when you can be happy about airport delays???

Anyway, back to the subject. In our family we like to have a little gingerbread house competition at Christmastime. When I was 14, I found a gingerbread recipe and pattern in a Better Homes & Garden magazine and I’ve made gingerbread houses off and on since then. We don’t make them every year, but the kids seem to really enjoy it. Last year was the best yet — everyone took their time and put some thought into their houses.

It usually takes me a day to bake the gingerbread. Knowing that I would be out-of-town this week, I baked the houses yesterday so that they’ll be ready for our 2007 competition on friday night. Sweetie Pie was a huge help — we had a little assembly line going and she saved me several hours worth of work. Plus, it’s more fun to work together — we even enlisted the help of TheManoftheHouse to roll the balls of dough around and soften them while he watched tv.

People sometimes ask me why I don’t just buy the gingerbread house kits and save all the work. The cost would probably be about the same when you consider that the kits include the candy for the decorations. I think the size of the house is what keeps me making them from scratch. These houses are a bit bigger than the kits. They’re even bigger than the original pattern — I doubled the size. If you’re interested in trying to make your own, I’ve put the recipe for the gingerbread (along with some crude pictures of my templates so that you can make your own pattern), on a page in my recipe section. This really is a fun activity to do with kids. Heck, even the grown ups like it — I think BigDaddy was one of the biggest kids last year — his house came complete with a fire escape!

This is a picture of last year’s winning house, made by the champion team of TheManoftheHouse and TheSecondChild. They built a frat house. I’m not quite sure how they won — I personally preferred the house built by my nephew and MyCrazyBIL. I think maybe the anatomically correct frat people who were partying on the balcony may have clinched the deal for the winning team!

XOXO,
Anna

WARNING: Mashed Potatoes Ahead

13 Comments / November 10, 2007 February 18, 2011 / Recipes

Dear Kim,

It has come to my attention that perhaps I’ve been a little brutal in subjecting you to repeated mashed potato posts. Especially when you’re so good to make your girls mashed potatoes — in my house, what mama doesn’t like, mama doesn’t cook LOL. So anyway, I’d like to offer you the opportunity to bug out of here and go enjoy something that may be more to your liking. Besides, being that you live in England and all, you’ll find the rest of my post boring.

Thanks for stopping by … see ya next time!

XOXO,
Anna

Now, for the rest of you, I just wanted to share one of my very favorite winter dishes — Shepherd’s Pie. I often wonder if Shepherd’s Pie is to England what Meatloaf is to America. Everybody has their own favorite recipe. I didn’t grow up with Shepherd’s Pie. In fact, I’m not sure I’d even really heard of it until about 15 years ago. TheManoftheHouse was on a business trip to London and I tagged along. One day, we took a tour to the Cotswolds. It was a cold and rainy day (which is kind of like a dark and dreary night, only the sun is shining.) We stopped at a cozy little pub and they had about three things on their little buffet line. I chose the Shepherd’s Pie and loved it instantly. It could have been because we were cold and hungry and it really warmed me up. Whatever it was, I came home determined to find a recipe. It took me a little while to find one I like because I like it pretty plain. I don’t like peas or corn in my Shepherd’s Pie. I like peas and corn just fine, but on the side please.

I would say that this is a great recipe for kids, but I think my kids hate it now. I think I’ve burned them out on it. That, and they’re always trying to eat healthy, aka, low on the carbs, which rules out mashed potatoes. Not me though — bring on the Mashed Potatoes!

Shepherd’s Pie

4 cups cooked ground beef (or any cooked ground meat)
1 cup chopped cooked potatoes
1 cup grated cooked carrots
1 small chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 14-oz. can beef stock
cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups mashed potatoes
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons breadcrumbs

Grease a deep-dish pie plate and set aside.

Combine meat, cooked potatoes and carrots, onion and parsley. Dissolve cornstarch in beef stock in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about 3 minutes or until slightly thick. Pour into meat mixture and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper.

Place in prepared pie plate and cover with mashed potatoes. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Place in preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are golden and pie is heated through. Serve immediately.

I hope everyone has a good weekend. I’m off in the morning with the quilty peeps and MeMum. We’re going to the big city for a little quilt shopping. It’s going to be a BIG day — we’re having a blog meet up with Sharon and her little Boo! WooHoo!!! Sharon, you won’t have any trouble figuring out who I am — I’ll be the one with the bags under my eyes ’cause I won’t get any sleep tonight!!!

XOXO,
Anna

Vallen’s PotLuck

10 Comments / October 19, 2007 February 18, 2011 / Recipes

I attended Vallen’s PotLuck last night, and I must tell you, it was fabulous! I couldn’t stay long ’cause I had a prior date with MeMum to do a little quilting. Flea Market Queen did a great job of decorating and the food selection was wonderful with a really nice mix of appetizers, main dishes and desserts. As you can see, I put too much food on my plate!

And did you notice something else? I’m sorry girls, I have a sweet tooth. I had too much of that yummy apple and walnut cake that Vallen brought and I just couldn’t help myself with Darla’s lemon squares — I cut a square that was WAY too big, but it sure was good!

I have a long history of potlucks (not, I’m not Lutheran!) and casseroles in my family, so of course, I brought a casserole. It’s a family favorite that I grew up with — MeMum makes the best casseroles. I marched right up to the buffet table, plopped my casserole dish down and filled up my plate. And did you see that carmel apple cider that Vallen mentioned? OhMyGosh — I love carmel apples, so I have to see if I can find some of that cider in my local store.

Beef Stroganoff Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1 cup chopped onions
1 12-oz. can whole kernal corn, drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup dairy sour cream
3 cups medium noodles
Grated Cheese

Boil noodles until tender and drain while preparing the rest of the casserole. Lightly brown the beef. Add chopped onion and cook until tender. Drain excess grease. Add corn, chicken soup, mushroom soup, and sour cream. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Add noodles to hamburger mixture and pour into 2 qt. casserole dish and top with grated cheese. Bake 30 – 35 minutes at 350 degrees.

When I was little MeMum would leave the corn out of the casserole, ’cause MyDadLovesMeBestSister and I were picky little girls, but I was lucky to have hearty-eating little boys, so now I leave the corn in. Here’s a better picture of how this casserole looked the last time I prepared it for TheManoftheHouse. It’s one of his favorites too!

Thanks Vallen for hosting the Pot Luck — YumYum! i hope you all have a wonderful weekend — I’ll be cleaning the pigsty!

XOXO,
Anna