7 Quick Takes

7 Quick Favorite Recipes

1.  Lentil Soup

   1 onion, chopped

   1 cup lentils

   1/2 lb. sausage

   1 can Italian tomatoes

   3 cups water

   1 cube (or equivalent) beef bouillon

Use a large deep skillet.  If your sausage is raw, brown that first.  Saute the onion in a small amount of oil. Add water, lentils, sausage, tomatoes and bouillon.  Simmer about 40 minutes.

2.  Best Chocolate Cake Ever

Cake:

   2 cups flour

   1 3/4 cups sugar

   1/2 cup cocoa

   1 tbs. baking soda

   2/3 cup oil

   1 cup buttermilk

   1 cup strong coffee

Mix dry ingredients.  Add oil and buttermilk.  Stir in hot coffee.  Mixture will be soupy.  Bake in a 9 by 13 pan at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes.

Icing:

   1/2 cup butter

   2 tbs. cocoa

   1/4 cup milk

   3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

   1 tsp. vanilla

In a saucepan, combine butter, milk, and cocoa.  Heat to boiling, stirring.  Mix in powdered sugar and vanilla, stirring until frosting is smooth.  Pour warm frosting over cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.

  

3.  Curried Orange Chicken

   2 chicken breasts

   1 tbs. curry powder

   1/2 cup orange juice

   2 tbs. honey

   1 tbs. mustard

Combine last four ingredients, pour over chicken in a crock pot.  Cook on low 4-6 hours or on high 2-3 hours.  I serve this with hot rice and pour the liquid over the rice. 

4.  Spinach Frittata

   1 cup frozen spinach

   1 small onion

   7 eggs, beaten

   salt and pepper to taste

   1/2 tsp. minced garlic

   cheese

Saute spinach, garlic and onion in an oven-safe skillet in a small amount of oil. Preheat oven to 350.  Let most of the excess moisture in the spinach boil away.   Add eggs, salt and pepper.  Scramble eggs until about half the eggs are cooked.  Smooth mixture in pan, and put into the oven.  Bake about 5 minutes, until eggs are set (time will depend on how much moisture was left in the spinach and how done your eggs were before you put them in the oven).  While the eggs are baking, slice some cheese to put on top (you could also grate it, but I find grating overrated).  When eggs are set, arrange cheese on top of the frittata.  Return to oven long enough to melt the cheese.

5.  Mexican Rice and Beans

   1 cup white rice

   2 cups water

   2 cups beans

   1 small can tomatoes and green chilies

   1 can crushed tomatoes

   1 tsp. minced garlic

   2 tsp. oregano

   2 tsp. cumin

   1 onion, chopped

Combine all ingredients in a large skillet.  Simmer, uncovered, until rice is done, about 20 minutes.

6.  Oatmeal Bread

   1 1/4 cups water

   1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

   1 1/2 cups bread flour

   1/2 cup oatmeal

   2 tbs. dry milk

   3 tbs. brown sugar

   2 tbs. oil

   1 tbs. wheat gluten

   1 1/4 tsp. salt

   2 tsp. bread machine yeast

Combine all ingredients in a bread machine on the regular cycle.  I make this bread twice a week, and almost never buy bread.

7.  Grits and Sausage Gravy

   1/2 lb. bulk pork sausage

   1 small onion, chopped

   2 tbs. flour

   1 tsp. thyme

   1 cup milk

   1 can diced tomatoes

   grits prepared according to package directions

In a large skillet, brown the sausage, add onion and saute until translucent.  Add flour and thyme, and cook until brown.  Add milk and cook stirring until gravy begins to thicken.  Add tomatoes and cook until thickened.  Serve gravy over grits (or anything else you like gravy on).

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