Lemon-Blueberry Bread Pudding

Since I moved to Santa Cruz I am eating less and my bread started to get a few days old. My immediate reaction was to cook up a bread pudding for myself. I also had fresh blueberries in need of using and a couple of lemons that had been here a while. I made up a delicious bread pudding and ate it every night until it disappeared.

Butter an 8 inch square pyrex pan:

In a large bowl mix 3 eggs lightly, then add a pinch of salt, the juice of one large lemon, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 3/4 cup sugar, and 3 cups milk. Mix well and add 10 or 12 slices of day-old bread, cut into small cubes. As this soaks up the liquid add 1 cup fresh blueberries and combine gently. Pour into the buttered dish and sprinkle the top with a few more berries and a little cinnamon. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutes. Cook until a knife poked into the center comes out clean.

Eat while it is warm. I like a little cream or whipped cream over the top. It gets a little firmer as it cools. Keep in the refrigerator.

Beef, Barley and Vegetable Soup

Ever since the weather has turned rainy this November, my thoughts have been filled with hearty one-pot meals and homemade soups. I made this soup on Friday night and we ate it for every meal until Sunday lunch. It tasted better the longer it sat in the refridgerator. By Sunday it was perfectly delicious and we were sad to see the last bowl of soup go.

1-lb thin cut round steak, sliced thinly across grain and then diced into tiny cubes of beef
2 or 3 stalks of celery, diced small
3 large carrots, diced small
1/2 large green bell pepper, diced small
3/8 cup of uncooked barley
1 box-4 cups of Low Sodium Beef Broth
4 cups water
4 large scallions, sliced small
2 Tablespoons dehydrated onion
1 large bay leaf
seasoning salt
ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
Worcestershire sauce-couple of dashes
2 Tablespoons tomato paste

Heat a little olive oil on med-hi in a soup pot. Add chopped beef, celery, bell pepper, and carrots. Saute until meat is browned. Add all other ingredients except the barley and

bring to a boil. Season to taste. Add barley and cover. Simmer on low for 45 minutes until barley is cooked. Serve with crusty french bread.

This soup tastes even better the next day and each day afterwards. The flavors mingle and it is even more tasty.

Joe's Special

This recipe is something my mother made often as I was growing up. It came from Original Joe's restaurant in San Francisco. The dish doesn't look very appetizing, but as children my brother and I loved it. Mother served it as dinner along with crusty French bread, and the adults had red wine with it. I recently saw it on a local menu in the Seattle area so I ordered it. It was pretty good, but not as good as homemade. The dish is a quick and easy meal. The recipe serves 4.

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, mashed
1/4 to 1/2 lb sliced fresh mushrooms
1 lb fresh spinach leaves, washed and dried
2 eggs, lightly beaten
salt & pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Brown meat in a large skillet on med-hi heat in a little oil to keep from sticking. Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Lower heat and cook until onion is soft. Add 1-1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, the nutmeg and oregano. Add the fresh spinach and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Make a hole in the center of the mixture and add the eggs. Stir into mixture quickly and cook a couple minutes more until the eggs are done. Serve immediately.

This dish smells divine, looks horrid, but once you taste it you will be hooked.
For a low carb meal just use less onion.

Cream of Peanut Soup

With the fall chill in the air my thoughts have turned to warm and hearty soups. This recipe comes from one of my favorite books, full of comfort foods and traditional southern favorites. The book is The African American Heritage Cookbook by Carolyn Quick Tillery. If you love peanut butter this will be one of your favorite soups.

1/4 cup chopped celery
1 medium chopped onion
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons flour
2 quarts chicken broth
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, add more to taste
1 cup light cream
1/4 cup coarsely ground, unsalted peanuts, for garnish

In a large saucepan, over low heat, saute celery and onion in melted butter until onion is transparent. Add flour and blend until lump free. Slowly add chicken broth, continue to stir, and bring to a boil. Blend in the peanut butter. Add spices and simmer about 15 minutes. Just prior to serving, stir in cream and garnish with ground peanuts. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Yada Yada Yada -The Crab Bisque

For those of you who are Seinfeld fans you will know what I mean. I couldn't resist when I found this delicious looking recipe in the African-American Heritage Cookbook. It sounds wonderful, especially the small amount of whisky that is added for flavoring. It might calm the kids right down. I have added the recipe for Seafood Seasoning, also from the same cookbook. This makes 4 to 6 servings.


2 Tablespoons butter
1-1/4 cups finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 small bay leaf
1-1/2 teaspoons Seafood Seasoning (recipe follows)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
4 cups clam juice
1/2 cup peeled and diced russet potato
3/4 cup light cream
2 Tablespoons Scotch Whisky
1 lb. lump crabmeat
salt & pepper
chopped chives for garnish


Over medium heat, melt butter in a heavy medium-size pot. Add onion, red bell pepper, bay leaf, celery, and seasonings. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir a couple of times to prevent sticking. Add clam juice and diced potato; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, partially cover pot, and simmer until the potato is very tender. Puree soup in blender until smooth (or use a wand blender in the pot) Return to pot; add cream, scotch, and crabmeat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish individual servings with chopped chives.




Seafood Seasoning


This makes about 1/2 cup of seasoning.


2 Tablespoons celery salt
1 Tablespoon ground bay leaves
1 Tablespoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground thyme
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container until ready for use.

Sausage, Red Beans and Rice

I just got home from a 5 day motorcycle trip so I had to get creative until I felt like going to the grocery store. I made up this concoction and it was perfect. I didn't add any more spice to this, but would if I made it again. I like to add several dashes of my favorite hot sauce to most anything. I served this along with corn. Here is what I did:

1/2 chopped bell pepper

1/2 chopped onion

1/2 lb. Hot Jimmy Dean Bulk Sausage

1 pkg. Zateran's Red Beans & Rice Mix

black pepper

olive oil

Brown the sausage on Med. Hi heat, stirring and crumbling in the pan. Add onions and bell pepper and saute all until soft. Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 3-1/4 cup water, and the Bean & Rice mix. Season with black pepper or hot sauce. Bring to a boil, stir, then add lid and turn down to Low heat. Cook for 25 minutes. If it is too runny for your taste, remove the lid and cook on Med. heat for a few minutes. Stir often so it doesn't stick, and reduce until you like it.

This dish would serve 4 people, along with a nice tossed salad. It was very satisfying.

Jalapeno Poppers

These poppers are not the deep fried type. They are completely low carb, and they're fresh and great for barbeques. I do them in the oven in the winter time.

8 oz. softened cream cheese
1 package real bacon bits (the soft kind)
a squeeze of lime juice (optional)
8 or 10 fresh jalapeno peppers--larger ones are milder than small ones

Put on rubber gloves if you need to. Slice the jalapeno peppers in half lengthwise. Carefully scrape out all the membranes and seeds. I try to do this with a small knife so my hands don't burn. Be very careful not to touch your face or eyes for several hours after doing this, if you don't use gloves. Once the jalapenos are prepared, mix together the other ingrediants until creamy. Stuff the peppers with the cheese mixture, slightly mounding.

If you are grilling, place on the hot grid. As they warm, they will start to 'pop' and dance around on the grill. They are done when the pepper is a little blackened and the cheese is starting to come out of the peppers. Take them off the heat and eat while warm.

If you do them in the oven, heat to 450 degrees. Place poppers on a sheet pan. After 10 minutes check them. They may take about 15 minutes, but keep watching and remove when the cheese starts coming out. They should be a little black on the bottom of the peppers. Enjoy!

Lemon Chess Pie

My mother cut out this recipe from Country Magazine. It turns out it is the same recipe my Great-grandmother made often in the 1930s and 1940s. It is a basic recipe with minimal ingredients but turns out to be a wonderfully creamy and delicious pie. She always served it at room temperature with whipped cream on top.


1 sheet of refrigerated pie pastry
4 eggs
1-1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 Tablespoon cornmeal
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

Unroll the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a 9 in. pie plate. Trim pastry to within 1/2 inch beyond the edge of plate; flute edges.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs for 3 minutes. Gradually add sugar; beat for 2 minutes or until mixture becomes thick and lemon-colored. Beat in the lemon juice, butter, cornmeal, flour and salt.

Pour into pastry shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a knife insterted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Fuzzy Navel Milkshake

To go along with my current summertime favorite, here is another milkshake recipe. These can be done in a blender, or use a wand hand blender like I do. That way you can mix it right down in a large cup. This one comes from Young's Jersey Dairy, Yellow Springs, Ohio. If anyone lives near there I'd love to know if Young's is still there.

Makes 2 tall glasses. Increase for a larger batch.

4 scoops high quality vanilla ice cream
1 cup peeled cut up peaches
1 cup cold orange juice

Mix to desired consistency. Add more liquid to make it drinkable.

This is fantastic stuff!

My New Vice -- Buttermilk Shake

Recently my mother sent me a few recipes that she had collected over the years. Funny how when you have a recipe blog, your mom starts digging recipes out of the woodwork. I have found some old favorites and wonderful sounding new recipes to try out.

One of the recipes she sent on an index card and it caught my eye. It was for a Buttermilk Shake. Having lived in the South I grew to enjoy anything made with buttermilk as an ingredient. I had to try the Buttermilk Shake as soon as I could purchase the ingredients. I shopped the next day and made a milkshake that evening, and the next, and the next, and the next until the ice cream was gone. Needless to say, I really loved the flavors and eventually got the texture I liked after a couple of tries. It tastes like liquid cheesecake. It is not sweet, but has the mellow tart flavor of cheesecake, or buttermilk if you want.

Buttermilk Shake

I mix the ingredients in a large plastic cup, using a wand blender to mix directly in the cup.
You could also mix a larger amount in a blender.

Scoop ice cream to just above the level that you will want the shake to end up. Fill the cup with buttermilk until it just covers the icecream. Blend with wand blender. If it is too thick add just a little more milk until it is the texture you like. Enjoy.

Don't get started on these, they can be addictive. I imagine they could cause a little weight gain if you made them too often. Try one on a hot day.

3-way Onion Burgers On Kalamata Focaccia

At a loss for how to create a tasty dinner out of a package of lean ground beef, I resorted to an old standby. I always called them "Hamburger Steaks" when cooked for dinner and served on a plate without a bun. In this case, we had just shopped at Trader Joe's and had a lovely loaf of Kalamata Olive Focaccia bread. It was thin, so we sliced it in burger sized lengths, then sliced it through parallel to the table so we could open up each section and lay the burgers in.

I mixed the Lean Ground Beef with 1/2 chopped Onion, added 1-1/2 teaspoon of Dehydrated Minced Onions, a dash of Worcestershire Sauce, along with Seasoned Salt and Pepper. I mixed this together with my hands and made 4 big pattys. I did not add an egg or fillers. I just wanted them to be meat and onions. I then sprinkled the pattys heavily with an onion powder (not salt) on top. I browned them in an old cast iron skillet and then turned down low until they were done inside.

We both made our own version:

3-way Onion Swiss Burger with Fresh Tomato, and Mayo on Olive Focaccia Bread

3-way Onion Gorganzola Burger with Romaine Lettuce and Steak Sauce on Olive Focaccia Bread

These were so tasty, and the bread was just perfect with a chewy texture and moistness from the olives. It held up well to the juicy burger and didn't fall apart.

Barbeque Beef on Noodles

This is one of those easy to make dishes. I've made it for years and it is very versatile. You can use any type of thinly cut beef, or other meat for that matter. Today, this is what I did.

I used:

Package of thinly cut round tip steak, meant for stir fry

3/4 cup of your favorite Barbeque Sauce

Half an onion, chopped

Half a yellow bell pepper, chopped

Salt & Pepper

Thinly slice the beef into strips. I added a little olive oil to a heating pan, then the meat. Brown the meat on Med-Hi heat, then add the bell pepper and onions. Alot of liquid comes out of the meat, so simmer until most of the liquid is gone, stirring occasionally. Add your Barbeque sauce and stir until everything is well coated. Turn to low and simmer with a lid for 30 minutes.

I served this over wide noodles and along with green beans.

Pickled Okra

When I lived in the South these were one of my favorite things to do when I had a bumper crop of okra. You want to use small pods that will fit into a pint jar. These are tender and stay crispy. These are the easiest pickles to make and a great summer delicacy to eat when the warm weather is long gone. Some people like to add red pepper flakes or hot peppers to spice them up a little. I like the dill flavor without the spice. This amount makes 4 pints. Increase if you have alot of okra to deal with.

2 lbs okra (3" pods)
12 celery leaves
4 sprigs of dill weed
4 garlic cloves
2 cups water
2 cups white vinegar
2 Tablespoons salt

Cut off the okra stems and pack pods into sterilized jars (Sterilize jars by boiling in a water bath for 5 minutes) Add 3 celery leaves, 1 dill sprig, and 1 peeled garlic clove to each jar. Bring water, vinegar and salt to a boil and pour over okra in the jars to cover. Seal. Let stand at least 1 month before using. They go fast so make plenty!

German Carrots

This is a great way to get the children to enjoy carrots. My mother wasn't a fan of carrots, but these are sweet, creamy and delicious so she would make them occasionally. I love them.

1 lb. carrots, sliced
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon flour
3/4 cup carrot liquid
pepper
a pinch of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Cook carrots in salted water until tender, or about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup liquid. Melt butter, stir in flour to form a roux. Add reserved liquid from the carrots, pepper, nutmeg and sugar. Bring to a boil and add the carrots. Let stand a few minutes to season through.

Bean Bowl Salad

This is another of my great grandmother's recipes that I have made repeatedly over the years. It is great this time of year for pot-luck dinners, BBQs, and summertime meals. It must be made ahead so is ready when you are. I can't get enough of this and use the leftovers to top off big chef salads or dinner salads.

Mix and marinate 24 hours in refrigerator:

1 can green beans, drained
1 can wax beans, drained
1 can rinsed kidney beans
1 onion, chopped fine
2 Tablespoons parseley
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup salad oil
3/4 cup vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Stir a few times while marinating. To serve, drain, and pour beans into a lettuce lined bowl. Add pickle relish on top (optional).

Cyndi's Spicy Skewered Shrimp

I've been out of town recently, to the sunny, hot, and smoky Bay Area. It was a lovely trip and we saw lots of old friends and family. One evening we grilled at our friend's Paul and Cyndi's and she made these wonderful shrimp. Here is what she did:

Take alot of fresh tiger shrimp, or previously frozen but thawed. They must be of good size to go on the skewers later. Peel and clean the shrimp. Place in a large plastic zipper bag.

In a small bowl mix 1/4 to 1/2 cup chili powder with a little Tequila Liquor, or other alcohol of your choice. Add just enough to make a runny paste consistency.

Pour the paste over the top of the shrimp in the plastic bag. Shake and smoosh around in the bag until all the shrimp are coated. Leave in the bag for 1/2 hour or more.

Place 5 or 6 shrimp on bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water for a while. This way they won't burn. Place skewers on the grill and lightly brown. They cook fast so only do a few minutes on each side. These are very yummy, not too spicy, but with a little kick. The sweetness of the shrimp comes through.

Granny Vick's Cake with Mocha Frosting

This is another of my Granny's recipes. She lived in rural Eastern North Carolina. Our family visited her every 4 years or so as I was growing up in California. We drove across country in a big Plymouth sedan which was an experience in itself. North Carolina was such a different place and culture than I was used to, but I always loved it. I would still enjoy living there. Granny was a great cook, and always made fresh items out of her garden. When we visited, she would make desserts. This was one of our favorites.

2-1/4 cup sifted flour
2-1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter or crisco shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix dry ingredients together. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs to butter mixture and beat well. Combine both dry and creamed ingredients. Add milk and vanilla. Beat all ingredients together and bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Adjust timing for different sizes of pans.

Frosting:

1/3 cup melted butter
1 lb. powdered sugar
3-1/2 Tablespoons cocoa
dash salt
1/3 cup strong hot coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla

Stir cocoa into sugar and salt. Add butter and coffee with vanilla. Stir until the right consistency. Spread on cooled cake.

Ham & Asparagus Casserole

It's fresh asparagus season in Washington. It is one of the locally grown favorites this time of year. I picked some up at the grocery and they were young, small, and delicate. I decided to create a dish using ham and cheese, of course. This is the recipe I came up with. It was very good, but got a little juicy. It was still delicious and we ate the whole casserole (two people!)

1 bunch of fresh young asparagus
A few scallions, chopped into pieces
1 package of ham slices, or slice your own
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt & pepper

Parboil the trimmed asparagus for 5 minutes. I left mine in long spears, but it was hard to serve. I would cut them into large pieces instead. Drizzle some olive oil in the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Drain the cooked asparagus and arrange in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle scallions over the asparagus.


Lay ham slices over the top. Salt and pepper over the ham. Mix the soup, mayo, mustard, and lemon juice. Spread this mixture over the ham.


Cover with shredded cheese and sprinkle paprika over all. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through.

Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce

When I was asked to try Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce I was happy to. I love barbeque sauces and condiments of all kinds.

A package came, nicely packed with 2 plastic bottles of Bob's Sauce. I had thawed some chicken in speculation of their arrival. I immediately got online and went to the Country Bob's website. They have a large selection of recipes to try out using their sauces.

The first dish I made was Country Bob's Simmered Chicken Chunks. It is very easy and delicious. You cut chicken into chunks and saute. I sprinkled some dehydrated onions over the chicken while it simmered. After mixing 1/2 cup of Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce and 1/4 cup jam ( I used cherry preserves) you pour it over the chicken and simmer while stirring to cover with sauce just 3 or 4 minutes.

I really liked this dish. The sauce is not very sweet at all, so needed the sweetness of the jam. This combination turned into a delicious sauce for the chicken. The All Purpose Sauce reminds me of a combination A-1 sauce, Worcestershire, with a little sweetness in the background.



I haven't tried Country Bob's on french fries yet, but I was thinking about putting it on tater tots. It will be very good on a steak, or even a pork chop. Alot of the recipes on the website require you to add so many ingredients you probably can't taste much of Country Bob's. I think it adds alot to the background flavors of any dish. I added 2 Tablespoons to my last pot of chili, and it turned out to have an intensely flavorful soup.

I can't wait to try some of their other products such as Spicy All Purpose Sauce, Seasoning Salt, and Barbeque Sauce. They are a small company in Illinois who make just a few choice quality products. Take a look at their website and you might want to order some products. They have many specials and combination orders. They do sell retail but Country Bob's items are only available in some states. Their website allows you to search by zip code for the store nearest you. I think I'd really like the Spicy Sauce. Apparantly there are no stores within 100 miles of me that carry Country Bob's. They ship fast so I won't mind ordering the sauce anyway.

Thank You, Thank You Very Much

Way back in April Biker Chickz Recipes was awarded the Excellent Blog Award by Julie of Noshtalgia. This means alot to me to be recognized by another Food blogger who has a really top notch blog.

The rules are that you must pass the award on to 10 other of your favorite blogs, on any topic. This is a hard task since I frequent so many blogs and enjoy them all. I've taken a long time to narrow down my favorites, so here they are. I have kept with the Food theme since there are so many good ones. They are not in any particular order.

1. Last Night's Dinner: An almost daily post with photos of what this family eats. It is always a treat.
2. Hunt The Recipe: Nothing but delicious looking recipes that you want to try for yourself.
3. What Did You Eat?: Just a real good food blog with lots of photos and good recipes.
4. Homesick Texan: Even though I'm not from Texas these recipes are always appealing and I can't wait to try them myself.
5. Cumin & Coriander: A blog from Canada with simple, healthy, and creative dishes made more appealing by great photography.
6. Food On The Brain: A lovely blog by a fellow Seattle resident who makes everything look great. She mixes in garden photos which are a treat.
7. Smitten Kitchen: This is mostly photography that will make you want to reach into the page and touch the food. I also learn alot from this blog.
8. Closet Cooking: A food blog by a male Canadian. He makes delicious looking dishes with mouthwatering photographs.
9. Everybody Likes Sandwiches: Another Canadian who blogs about all kinds of good food, not just sandwiches.
10. White On Rice Couple: A couple who blog about cooking, what's in the garden, and an interesting twist is that they ride a motorcycle together.

All of these blog writers have the most excellent photography I think that is what makes me keep coming back. I hope I have given you some new blogs to try. Enjoy!