Tater Tot Casserole

Tell me that doesn't look good to you!  I had a craving one day for tater tots, and even though I had never been much of a fan of tater tot casserole, I decided to look around the internet for recipes.  I ended up changing Deep South Dish's version of the recipe to suit my taste.  Check out the link for instructions for variations on the recipe to make a breakfast casserole and a side dish casserole.  This recipe was so easy and definitely a keeper!

Tater Tot Casserole 
1 (10-ounce) can cream of mushroom or chicken soup (see this post for homemade cream of chicken soup)
1 cup milk 
1/2 cup of chopped sweet onion 
1 pound of ground beef 
1 teaspoon of minced garlic w/bell pepper (McCormick's)
1 tablespoon of fresh basil 
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme 
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning 
salt and pepper to taste
frozen peas, defrosted (drained if canned)--optional, can use green beans, corn, or mixed veggies
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, 
1 pound package of frozen tater tots 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or spray a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish with non-stick spray; set aside. Whisk together the cream soup and milk until well blended; set aside.  Cook ground beef and chopped onion together until meat is browned; drain if needed and return to the skillet. Add the minced garlic/pepper, basil, thyme, Cajun seasoning, and salt and pepper (might be seasoned enough without the salt and pepper). Transfer meat mixture to the prepared casserole dish, layer peas, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the cheddar cheese. Evenly pour the soup mixture over the top. Arrange the tater tots on top and bake uncovered at 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until potatoes are nicely browned and crisp. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of shredded cheese on top and return to the oven just until cheese is melted.

Creamy Italian Dressing in a Jiffy!

Do you ever prepare a salad for dinner only to find that after everything's ready there's no dressing?!  I've been making this Creamy Italian dressing for a few years.  Homemade dressings may seem daunting, but  this recipe is easy.  I always have the ingredients on hand, and it tastes delicious.  Also, Italian dressings are pretty much universally liked.  One ingredient I didn't have on hand was Italian seasoning.  I just mixed up my own recipe which is recorded on my post, For Seasoned Cooks.  The recipe made more than I could fit in my spice jar so I put the rest in a small baggie with the recipe for Creamy Italian dressing written on the bag.  I plan on giving this away as a small gift for a friend.

Creamy Italian
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 small onion
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
 3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt or powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Place all ingredients in blender container; cover.  Blend on medium speed 15 seconds or until smooth.  Cover; chill.  Makes about 1-1/4 cups.

Chicken Divine!

This recipe reminds me of Chicken Divan so I like to call it "Chicken Divine!"  It is a great meal to double for pot lucks.  You can also make one for your family and take one to someone in need of a good meal.  Because it's a one-dish-meal, all you need is some store-bought rolls and a bag of Chips-Ahoy cookies for dessert.  Delicious!

Chicken and Broccoli Bake
4 chicken skinless, boneless breast halves
3 (10-ounce) frozen broccoli, cooked 
(I like to steam the frozen broccoli--be sure not to cook too much)
1/2 c. milk

1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1 c. Swiss cheese, grated (or Italian blend)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup buttered cracker crumbs 
(About 6-7 Ritz crackers crushed in a Ziploc baggie)
Either bring chicken to a boil with a sprinkling of Poultry Special Mix, then lower temperature to simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour,
OR bake chicken in 350 degree oven, sprinkled lightly with Poultry Special Mix, for an hour.
In a casserole or 9 x 9 x 2-inch pan, layer broccoli and chicken.
In a saucepan make a sauce by combining a can of cream of chicken soup, milk, mayonnaise, and lemon juice.  Heat and stir just until boiling and smooth.  (This can be done in a bowl in the microwave.  I press the beverage button and stir well; then press the beverage button again and stir again).
Remove from heat and stir in cheese.
Pour sauce over chicken, cover with crumbs.
Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Poultry Seasoning Special Mix

After years of experimenting with different combinations, no matter what I'm making with the poultry I end up putting the same five spices together.  The aroma gets everyone in the family's salivary glands watering--even the cat.  I make a lot of dishes where the recipe calls for already cooked meat.  Seasoning the chicken with this special mix enhances rather than interferes with the flavors of the dish.  The chicken tastes perfect every time.  I mix my spices together in a jar and shake (or in a bowl and stir with a whisk).  It can be left in the jar and measured out to sprinkle on the meat, or put in an empty spice container.  Sprinkle a little to start with.  After a while, you'll know how much Poultry Special Mix your family prefers on their meat.

Poultry Seasoning Special Mix
1/2 cup salt
1/4 cup pepper
1/4 cup celery seed
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup onion powder
Mix and store at room temperature in an airtight container or spice jar.

For Seasoned Cooks

Built-in spice shelf my husband built works great in a small kitchen.

Make Scents of the Spice Rack

• Did you know cinnamon sticks are actually curled up bark from a tropical evergreen tree?  Cinnamon is also ground from the bark.  The sticks easily flavor simmering liquids and beverages, while the ground version is best for baked goods.
• What's the difference between ground and whole spices?  Most ground spices are simply powdered versions of their original forms.  Recipes generally specify which form of the spice is preferred.  Freshly grated nutmeg has more intense flavor than commercially ground nutmeg.  you can grate the whole spice with a nutmeg grater or grinder.
• Fooled you!  Most people think allspice is a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  It's actually a berry from a tropical evergreen, although it tastes like 'all spices.'"

Spice Tips

1. Keep all spice in tightly covered containers, in a cool dark place.
2. Spices lose their flavor after a year "on the shelf," and will need to be replaced.
3. Spices should enhance, but not overpower, the flavor of your dish.  Use moderation, start by adding only half of the spice called for and taste before adding more.  Spicing is not absolute, but should be done "to taste."
4. Spices turn bitter if/when overheated.  During lengthy cooking add the spice during the last 12 half our of cooking.  This will keep your spice spicey.
5. In most cases 1 teaspoon of dried spice equals 1 tablespoon of fresh.

Making your own seasonings is a good way to use up spices before their shelf life run out.  It's also handy if you run out of the store bought versions.  They make nice gifts as well--check out Gourmet Seasoning Salt!

Poultry seasoning:  Combine 4 teaspoons each of dried sage, dried thyme, and dried marjoram.

Italian seasoning:  Combine 4 teaspoons each of dried oregano, dried marjoram, and dried basil, and 2 teaspoons rubbed sage.

Curry powder:  Combine 1/4 cup ground coriander, 2 tablespoons ground cumin, 2 tablespoons ground turmeric, and 1 tablespoon ground ginger.

Apple pie spice:  Combine 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom.

Pumpkin pie spice:  4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg.

Seasoned salt:  Place the following ingredients in a pint jar and seal.  Shake until mixture is completely blended.  Yield:  about 1-1/3 cups of seasoning.  1 cup salt, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons dry mustard, 1-1/2 teaspoons dried whole oregano, 1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme, 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric.

Pickling spice:  Combine 1/4 cup each mustard seeds, dill seeds, and coriander seeds, 2 tablespoons each crushed chili peppers and bay leaves, and 1 tablespoon each celery seeds and white peppercorns.

Onion soup mix:  For a 1-3/8 ounce package, combine 1/4 cup instant minced onion, 2 tablespoons bouillon and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder.

Gourmet Seasoning Salt:
1 cup salt
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1-1/2 teaspoons dried whole oregano
1 teaspoon ground marjoram
1 teaspoon dried whole thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/4 teaspoon dried whole dillweed (optional)
Combine all ingredients; mix well.  Store in as airtight container.  Sprinkle over meat or vegetables.  Yield: about 1-1/4 cups.

Herb Blend:
3 tablespoons dried whole basil
3 tablespoons dried whole marjoram
3 tablespoons dried whole thyme
3 tablespoons dried whole tarragon
1 tablespoon dried lemon peel
1 tablespoon dried whole oregano
Place all ingredients in a small jar and seal.  Shake until mixture is completely blended.  Yield: about 3/4 cup of seasoning.

Just Enough Poultry Seasoning:  
3/4 t. sage, crumbled
1/4 t. leaf thyme, crumbled
1/4 t. pepper
dash marjoram
dash cloves, optional
Combine all ingredients.  If you make extra, store in an airtight container.  Use for poultry stuffing or dressing or as a rub for chicken.  source

Better-Than Potpourri Brew:  Mix the ingredients and place in an attractive container to give as a gift.

Better Than Potpourri Brew

Made a smaller pot of this fragrant brew.

This may not look beautiful, but the mixture smells great!  (It is not for consumption).  It works great to get strong smells out of your kitchen as well.  I think I found this recipe and some of the following information in Southern Living Magazine.  I used the Better-Than-Potpourri Brew when showing my home for sale and sold my house within 2 months!

Better Than Potpourri Brew
6 cups water
Peel from 1 apple
Rind from 1 lemon
Rind from 1 orange
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and quartered
3 (2-inch) sticks cinnamon
16 whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole allspice
2 teaspoons pickling spice
Bring all ingredients to a boil in a Dutch oven over high heat.  Reduce heat, and simmer.  Gradually add more water as the liquid evaporates.