Coconut and Beef Curry

Coconut and Beef Curry
(adapted from Everyday FOOD Magazine)

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. beef, cut into thin strips (could substitute chicken)
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced (or white onion)
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced (could possibly use another veg)
1 Tbsp. Thai red curry paste (I used 1/2 Tbsp. -- this curry paste is mild though)
1 14 0z. can coconut milk
1 cup basil leaves (or cilantro)
1 Tbsp. lime juice
cooked pasta

Heat 1 tbsp oil in skillet. Season beef with salt and pepper; add half of beef to skillet. Cook, without stirring, until browned on one side, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining tbsp oil and beef. Set aside beef, reserving skillet. (Meat will cook more later)

Add onion, bell peppers, and 1/4 cup water to skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occassionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender; about 3-4 minutes. Add curry paste; cook, scraping bottom of skillet, 1 minute.

Return beef to skillet, with any accumulated juices, and add coconut milk. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in fresh herbs and lime juice.

Serve over pasta.

I really enjoyed this Thai dish. I thought it could also be adapted easily to other things you may have around the house. The only ingredients not easily substituted would be the red curry paste and the coconut milk -- that gives the curry its flavor.

Baked Potato Soup

Baked Potato Soup
(adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine)


In a soup pot brown:

6-8 oz. bacon (which has been snipped or cut into small pieces)

Remove bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-covered plate for later.

To the bacon fat left in the soup pan add:

1 head of cauliflower, washed, cut into florets
4 large baking potatoes (or the equivalent) peeled and diced

Saute the vegetables for a few minutes in the bacon fat.

Add:

Enough chicken stock to almost cover the potatoes and cauliflower. I use "Better than Boullion" which is a soup base paste made without MSG

Simmer the potatoes and cauliflower until tender. Puree in blender.

Add:

2-3 cups of milk (enough to make the soup creamy without making it runny)

Heat through.

Serve soup with crumbled bacon on top plus any other favorite baked potato toppings: cheese, sour-cream, parsley, chopped green onions, etc.

Makes enough for 10+. You can easily halve the recipe.

Easy Taco Soup

Easy Taco Soup
(adapted from a freezer-cooking recipe book)


In a soup pot brown:

1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped

Drain fat and add:

1 15 oz. can chopped tomatoes
1 15 oz. can pinto beans
1 15 oz. can black beans
1 15 oz. can corn
1 15 oz. can water
1 packet taco seasoning

Bring to a boil and simmer for 30-40 minutes.

Serve with tortilla chips, sour-cream, grated cheese, chopped green onions, or plain.
You can make this in quantities and freeze.

Thumbprint Cookies

Thumbprint Cookies
(Wooden Spoon Cookie Book)

Cookies are pictured on the plate at the bottom left:


1 c. butter
½ c. (+ 3 Tbsp. sugar)
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. salt
2 ½ c. flour
jam (I like raspberry or strawberry)

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolks and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients. Chill dough. Roll into balls. Roll in reserved sugar (optional). Make a depression in each ball with finger. Fill with jam before, or after, baking. Bake at 375 for 9-11 minutes. Makes 3 dozen.

Cookie Cutter Cookies

Cookie Cutter Cookies
(adapted from Cookies for Christmas by M. Robbin)

This is the recipe we use over and over and over again!

1 c. butter
1 ½ c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
4 Tbsp. milk
2 tsp. vanilla
4 c. flour
2 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt


Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and milk. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt. Chill dough. Roll out on floured surface and cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Makes 5-6 dozen. (I roll my cookies thin.)

CandyCane Cookies

CandyCane Cookies
(adapted from Allrecipes.com)
1 cup butter
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. red food coloring
1/2 cup peppermint candy canes, crushed

Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in egg, vanilla and peppermint extract. Combine flour and salt; stir into the creamed butter mixture until well blended. Divide dough in half. Mix red food coloring into one half of dough. Chill.

Preheat oven to 375F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper (or grease). Roll a small amount of each dough into a 2-inch long worm. Roll them together in a twisted rope and curve the end like a cane. Place onto cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. When cookies come out of oven, sprinkle with crushed up candycanes. Let cool.
Makes about 3 dozen.

NOTE: I like to make two batches -- one batch white and the other red. This makes enough cookies for us.

Gingerbread Muffins

Gingerbread Muffins
(cooksrecipes.com)

1 ½ c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. cloves
¼ tsp. ginger
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1 egg
1/3 c. oil
¼ c. molasses
½ c. sugar (I used 1/4 c.)

½ c. boiling water

Preheat oven to 350. Grease or line muffin tin.

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg.

In another bowl, beat egg, oil, molasses and sugar, mixing well. Pour mixture into flour mixture. Mix until just moistened adding the water and mixing until just blended.

Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until muffins are done.

1 dozen.