Cooking With Gogi » Cooking

SWEET PICKLES

Cooking With Gogi — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:24:38 +0000

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS?

1 gallon dill pickles ( in glass jar preferably but not necessary)

5 cups sugar

1 cups cider vinegar

3 T. pickling spices

Drain off juice from pickles. Cut pickles into 1" pieces. Fill jar with sugar, vinegar, spices. Set jar on counter. Flip jar every 24 hours. It takes 4 days to complete.

It is absolutely amazing how these pickles change into sweet pickles!

Have fun with this one.

Gogi

CROCKPOT PUDDING CAKE

Cooking With Gogi — Thu, 08 May 2008 17:12:09 +0000

Do you have errands to run and have to be gone for a few hours? How about getting dessert started before you leave?

1 chocolate cake mix

1 box instant pudding mix

4 eggs

1 pint of sour cream

3/4 cup oil

1 cup water

6 oz. chocolate chips

Mix and pour into crockpot on low. Cook for 6-8 hrs. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. DELICIOUS!!!

Now if you really want to make it easy on yourself, tear or chop up some lettuce and add leftovers from the frig. This could be ham, chicken, tuna, carrots, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions, grated cheese, chopped bacon, mushrooms, you name it. That could be your main course with your choice of dressing. Now you have dessert and your main course ready to serve. Just pop it into the frig until you get home.

Be stress free and enjoy!

Gogi

RE: INSTANT TEA

Cooking With Gogi — Wed, 07 May 2008 20:33:48 +0000

Here is a tip on instant tea. Some people like the instant lemon, sugared tea. When I buy the Lipton mix I also buy the Lipton plain instant tea. I combine the two and it is not quite as strong with sugar or lemon. None of us should have a lot of sugar or lemon especailly those of us with acid reflex. Those are the fringe benefits you get after age 50.

I also do this with the raspberry flavored tea. In fact we not only use the raspberry tea for "tea time", I use the mix from the can in my punches that I fix for parties or get-to-gethers.

Just a thought

Gogi

WAYS TO USE A MEATBALL

Cooking With Gogi — Mon, 05 May 2008 19:24:08 +0000

Here is suggestion that might help you out if you are in a bind at the last minute.

I make spaghetti sauce and put it in the freezer in quart containers. That way if I have company I can pull out one or more depending on how much sauce I need. I purchase a 5 lb. sack of meatballs from the store and keep them in the freezer and also make sure I have plenty of spaghetti noodles and canned mushroom soup on hand.

Once I do this my options are numerous. I can now have:

spaghetti and meatball dinner

pick up some fresh sub buns and have meat ball sandwiches

meatballs and mushroom gravy as a main dish for dinner

slice meatballs and have meatball and mushroom soup ( or leave whole)

I am not stating quantities because that depends on the size of your family or number of guests.

Think ahead

Gogi

QUICK ORANGE NUT BREAD

Cooking With Gogi — Sun, 04 May 2008 19:12:07 +0000

Here is a quick bread for breakfast or a brunch.

3 cups baking mix

1/3 cup sugar

3 eggs

3 T. grated orange peel

3/4 cup orange juice (fresh or frozen)

3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Orange glaze:

Makes one loaf 9×5x3- preheat oven 350 degrees

Mix baking mix, sugar, eggs, orange peel and orange juice and beat 1/2 minute on slow speed. Beat another 2 1/2 minutes on medium. Stir in nuts and bake for 55 to 60 minutes.

Orange glaze: Mix 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup butter or margarine melted, 1 T. grated orange peel, 1 T. orange juice. Mix thoroughly… If needed add more juice.

Try this some morning with a great cup of your favorite coffee!

Gogi

CRANBERRY ORANGE GLAZE/SAUCE

Cooking With Gogi — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:13:06 +0000

2 T. cornstarch

1 tsp. lemon peel

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups orange juice

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 – 16 ounce can whole cranberry sauce

In pan combine coornstarch, lemon peel , salt; stir in orange juice and lemon juice until smooth.

Cook over high heat until thickened and smooth.

Stir in cranberry sauce and heat thoroughly. Makes 3 cups. Serve hot or cold.

This is a great sauce for baked ham or pork.

Enjoy,

Gogi

MORNING FRENCH TOAST

Cooking With Gogi — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:37:44 +0000

Here is an excellent recipe to fix for 4-24 hours ahead. After you finished preparing the dish, cover and put in the refrigerator.

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter melted

3 tsp. cinnamon (equals 1 T.)

1 cup chopped apples

1/2 cup cranraisins ( or raisins or dried cranberries)

1 loaf of French bread sliced

6 large eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1 T. vanilla

Combine brown sugar, butter and 1 tsp. cinnamon . Put in 13 x 9 baking dish . Add apples and cranberries,raisins, or cranraisins. Stir to coat. Spread evenly over bottom and arrange bread on top.

Mix eggs, milk, vanilla and remaining 2 tsp. of cinnamon until well blended. Pour over bread soaking completely. Cover and refreigerate.*

Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 minute more. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.

*Don’t put a glass baking dish directly from the refriegerator into the hot preheated oven. It is best to let it set on the cabinet for a while so the temperature of the dish rises and the shock of putting it into the oven will not crack the baking dish.

Serve with syrup, whipped cream or whatever else suits your fancy! While you are baking the french toast, you can be preparing the rest of the menu. This is a great brunch recipe. You can add fresh fruit, bacon, coffee, juice, and you have a complete brunch in a jiffy. Simple but scrumptuous.

Invite some friends over!!

Gogi

RE: MEGA FOOD PORTIONS

Cooking With Gogi — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:47:15 +0000

We are told over and over again not to take large portions of food. Controled portions of food help you to maintain and lose weight. Mega portions mean more calories and a weight gain. This is not exactly true. Very strict diets can make you feel deprived and always hungry. What you choose to eat has a lot to do with it. Soups such as Progresso Light provide a full serving of vegetables and can help you control calories without that empty bowl feeling. A good salad with carefully chosen salad dressing can also give you that feeling.

Satiety (which means being full and totally satisfied and not able to take on more) is essential in helping you control calories and stick to a healthy pattern of eating habits. Pick and choose foods that are healthy and give you that satisfied feeling.

Thing to remember: It takes your brain 20 minutes to start signaling a feeling of fullness. Try to eat slowly, chew your food well, eat less, and enjoy what you eat.

You have heard the statement, "practice what you preach"? I am going to try to turn over a new leaf and try to be more aware of all of this.

Later,

Gogi

EASY MEATLOAF

Cooking With Gogi — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:09:47 +0000

6 cups of crushed cornflakes

3 lbs hamburger

2 eggs

¼ cup chopped onion

¾ cup chopped celery

3 tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground black pepper

1 ½ T chopped parsley

½ cup ketchup

1 tsp. sage

1 cup of milk

Combine ingredients; mix well. Pack in casserole or loaf pan.

Bake at 375 degrees for l hour and 15 –30 minutes. Check for doneness.

Choose a pan that is large enough that the meat will not fill the pan completely. You need space for the meat to juice, etc. as it cooks. You don’t want it spilling over in the oven. Dirty ovens are not fun to clean!

Enjoy,

Gogi

REGARDING HAM

Cooking With Gogi — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:06:49 +0000

Things you might not know about hams:

Bone-in ham or its two halves—butt half and shank half.

Partially boned hams are either shank less or semi-boneless.

Boneless hams are known as rolled shaped or formed hams and sold in 7 to 14 pounds weights.

Canned hams are always boneless and fully cooked – may be smoked or unsmoked.

Boiled ham is sold sliced by the pound or prepackaged.

Prosciutto is an Italian-style pressed ham- deep red in color with a strong flavor-sold paper thin.

Cook before eating hams are usually sold with bone-in. Country hams are usually heavily cured and smoked and require soaking and precooking unless label directs you otherwise.

Always check the wrapping for roasting timetable and directions. A cook- before- eating ham or picnic should be cooked to an internal temp of 160 degrees, a picnic to 170 degrees. Plan to have meat ready 15 minutes before serving so it can set 15 minutes before carving.

If you are going to glaze the ham, start glazing it 30 minutes before the end of cooking time.

Gogi